NaLu Fanfiction New Kid meets Loner
by MagicFangirlHS
Summary: When a new kid named Natsu moves in, he finds a loner named Lucy, whom the school seems to hate. What happens when he digs too deep and discovers things he shouldn't have. Find out here! This is my first NaLu fanfiction that I decided to publish here so I hope you like it!
1. New Kid

**(A/N: A lot of the characters are gonna be a little OOC at the beginning, but I will return them to normal later**

 **Lucy's POV**

People always say that life's unfair.

I should know.

It took my mother after all. My favorite memories are of her. Baking cookies, going on walks, watching movies, cuddling together on New Year's Eve by the fireplace, each of us with a cup of her warm homemade hot cocoa in our hands. I wish I could have had more time with her. I still remember that day, how could I forget? Even if I tried, my dreams wouldn't let me.

The sound of gunshots echoed through the long halls. She fumbled for the gun that rested on the shelf on the bookshelf we had backed into. Of course people are going to try to kill the richest family in Fiore.

"Mommy, what's going on?" my innocent high-pitched voice asked. She sent me a loving smile. I nearly ignored the fact that she had a gun in her hand. She didn't say anything, just pulled me behind her.

"Mommy, I'm scared," I my young voice whispered. She looked back and me and warmly smiled again.

"Shhh, darling, everything is going to be fine," she comforted. I hugged her waist tightly, my eyes forced shut. The sound of the door opening startled me. I refused to open my eyes. I heard two gunshots, one from my mom, the other from somewhere else. Then I heard the agonizing cries of my mom. One the other side of the room I heard someone fall to the ground. I felt something wet and sticky on my hand. After a few more moments of silence, I opened my eyes, shocked at the horrid scene. My mom lay limp in front of me, blood splattered on the ground. My eyes moved farther, noticing another man who laid on the floor. He had a hole right through his head, blood oozing out of it. I looked closer at the man, the shade of blonde and mustache seemingly familiar. My eyes wided

"Father..." my high pitched voice forced out. Tears rolled down my cheeks. My mother just saved me from my father, who was trying to kill the both of us. I ran out of the room in tears. From that point on, I was orphaned, and took in by one of the servants named Amy. We were unable to stay in the mansion, for I was not old enough to receive inheritance, so I decided to take some of mother's and father's belongings and sell them off for money to help Amy get by. I had taken most of my clothing and brought with me one toy my mother had given to me as I child. It was a doll named Michelle. Amy and I had found a home in Magnolia by the time I was in Highschool we were able to afford in Magnolia, and quickly moved over. I was sent to Fairy Tail High for my Junior year and nothing seemed to get better after that. Unless better is being bullied and hated by everyone. _Screw school, screw homework, screw bullies, screw friends, SCREW LIFE!_ This became my motto. The only one who I showed decency to was Amy. But with my luck, she died of cancer during my last few months of Junior year. Now I had returned, ready to fail all of my classes and get picked on by literally everyone.

WAA! WA! WA! My alarm blared me awake. In annoyance I punched the phone 'till it shut up. I lazily climbed out of bed and pulled on a white shirt with black leggings and a black hoodie. I stared at myself in the mirror. _I'm so ugly..._ I insulted myself. The bullies had gotten to me, and forced upon me the idea that I was an ugly slut whore who deserved to die. I had expected myself to cry, but I had become numb to their insults since the last month of Junior year. I forced myself out the door, ignoring breakfast, nearly limping outside. The beautiful autumn leave ment nothing like they used to, Autumn used to mean my birthday, but now it meant my mother and Amy's death, and the start of hell. Or school, whatever you call it. Then I noticed an unfamiliar face. A pink haired kid had exited his house, which was a few blocks away from mine, and was talking with Gray Fullbuster. I assumed he was new, or I would've known of his presence. Last year's me would've thought of this as a chance to make a new friends, but I had given up on that dream a long time ago. Rumors spread fast, and especially since he was with Gray. He was probably getting his ticket up the food chain of school. Meeting a cool kid first day of school was basically your ticket to popularity. I snapped out of my thoughts, noticing he was staring at me.

 **Natsu's POV**

My eyes had found their way to this girl. She had blonde hair and wore a black hoodie over her head. I tried to get a look at her, but I was stopped by my companion, Gray.

"What are you looking at?" he examined impatiently. His eyes followed the direction of my own, landing on the girl.

"No," he stated simply.

"What?" I questioned.

"Don't think about it, you don't want to become friends with her," he answered.

"Why?" I pushed curiously.

"She's the outcast of the school, rumors are spread about her everyday, and I'm pretty sure all of them are true. Plus, becoming friends with her is like social suicide," he explained. I looked back at her, she looked, empty. Part of me longed to be her friend, but it was my first day at Fairy Tail High, and I did not wish to start off bad. "Hey, why don't you sit with me and my friends at lunch," Gray offered. I nodded silently, sending him a toothy smile. I stole a glance at the girl. _Is she crying?_

 **(A/N: I hope you liked this, it's my first fanfiction on so it might not be up to par with what you guys expect, but I hope you guys like it. Next Part will probably come out really soon. I accept prompts, idea's and feedback, so anything helps! Anyway, I hope you have an AWESOME day! BOIIII! xD )**


	2. Insults

**Lucy's POV**

( **A/N: I really hate having Lisanna be the antagonist, but I need someone to play the bully role and Lisanna if often the bully in NaLu fanfictions. I considered doing Mira, but then realized that Mira shipped NaLu so the entire thing would be pointless)**

I noticed the school was nearing and I quickly stared at the floor. It was the only way of avoiding the stares of everyone else. Even so, as I walked through the school gates I felt everyone staring at me. I heard the hushed sounds of gossip spread through the students.

"I heard she slept with five different guys over the summer."

"I heard that she works part time as a prostitute for money."

"B*tch."

"Slut."

"Whore." I expected tears to fall down my cheeks, but my eyes just stared emotionlessly at the floor. Then I heard the snickers of _them._ They were basically your classic high school mean girl gang, and always mixed with the jocks and cool kids. My high school was basically the same old stereotypical high school that you thought only existed in movies. Well, guess what? You're wrong. In my thoughts, I forgot where I was going and found myself bumping into something. Something soft. I quickly pushed myself back and found myself face to face with _her._ Lisanna.

"Oh, look the little whore decided to come back for the sequel." she smirked evilly, "Well, how was it sleeping with five guys." I just stared at the floor. "Hey, are you mute?" she asked. I didn't move. "Looks like we got a mute whore. You know what they used to call people who were mute? Dumb. Why don't we take this dumb bimbo to where she belongs," she smirked, looking back at the rest of her group, which seemed to nod in unison. The all pushed me inside the school. I didn't argue, that would only make things worse. The walked over to a random locker and shoved me inside, sure to lock me in. I wanted to cry, but crying shows weakness. But who's here to see. I let out all of my emotions. The locker inside was extremely barren, in fact, it seemed unused. The pitch black was able to conceal my tears until I saw a bright light fill the darkness. My misty eyes met a set of onyx eyes. It was the same guy from before. The one with pink hair.

"Hey what are you doing in here?" he nearly yelled. In the state of weakness, his harsh voice forced more tears out. "Hey, why are you crying?" he asked. I quickly wiped away my tears and put back my emotionless face. I fumbled out of the tiny locker and looked at the ground in front of Natsu for a bit.

"Sorry," I forced out, "I promise it won't happen again," I stated. No emotions crossed over my voice.

"I just wanna know why you were in there in the first place," he asked. I looked away from him.

"This never happened, OK? You did not see me in your locker and you sure as hell didn't see me crying," I tone of sternness flooded my voice. He nodded. I began to walk away.

"Hey, what's your name?" he asked. I turned around and faced him.

"In here I'm called a lot of things, whore, slut, bimbo, idiot, mute, dumbass, prostitute. Pick your favorite and get it over with," I stated harshly, my pace speeding up away from him. _Why did I show him emotion? I thought I had broken myself._

 **Natsu's POV**

Her words echoed in my head as I walked to my class. _In here I'm called a lot of things, whore, slut, bimbo, idiot, mute, dumbass, prostitute. Pick your favorite and get it over with._ I felt bad for her, she was the same girl that I saw from before. She looked...really pretty up close. I felt bad for her, but Gray told me that those rumors about her were true. I'm not taking any chances. My eyes followed her as she walked through the halls, I was heading the same direction as her. Everywhere she went students avoided her like the plague and called her the same names that I had heard before.

"Bimbo."

"Slut."

"Whore." Everywhere she went. I wanted to send them all evil glares, but I was new, meaning every move I made could make or break how people thought about me. And I didn't want to end up like her. I eventually figured that she was heading to the same first period as me.

 **Time Skip brought to you by Happy's Fish**

Lunch came around pretty quickly. I walked into the cafeteria noting the setup of the area. There were tons of circular tables, each with about 8 chairs each. This created a bit of a messy feel for the cafeteria but I didn't really care. I was scanning the room for her, in particular, her black hoodie. My eyes raced around the room like lightning but I couldn't quite find her. Out of nowhere I heard a familiar voice call me over,

"Yo! Natsu! Come sit with us!" Gray yelled across the room. I looked over to his table, which was filled with boys, some wearing their jerseys, and others sporting a letterman jacket. _I can't turn down him._ By now I had figured out that Gray was classified as a jock who spent a lot of time with this group of cheerleaders, consisting of his biggest fan, Juvia Lockester. She was a pretty girl who had light blue hair that she left messy under a fluffy blue hat. It complemented her well, however Gray always acted as though he weren't interested.

"AGH! Get off of me!" he yelled from across the table. Juvia was clinging to his arm.

"Oh my darling Gray!" she held on tighter. Eventually, he was able to swat her away like a fly. I kept looking around the room for her.

"Yo, are you OK?" Gray asked, concern flooding his voice. I nodded.

"What was that girl's name from before?" I asked.

"Bro, don't get into that mess," he responded. I looked at him, a stern look filling my eyes.

"I asked you a question," I pushed. Probably the wrong move, but he ignored it.

"Lucy Heartfillia, but half the school doesn't know that," Gray answered. A few of the people sitting at the table started to ask questions.

"That's her name?"

"Isn't that the name of the family that was really rich?"

"She's spoiled and a whore?" I found it funny how everyone in school made fun of her, but half of them didn't even know who she was. I remembered the name Heartfillia from when I was little. My dad used to talk about business deals with them. _I'm going to find her._

"Hey, I need to go to the bathroom, I'll be right back," I pushed myself out of my chair and walked towards the exit. I searched around the entire building for her, eventually finding her, eating alone on the roof. When I walked in, she ignored me for the most part.

"Hey," I greeted. She returned the greeting with silence. Didn't even bother to look me in the eye. "What happened before, and how did you end up in my locker?" She stood up, throwing her trash away, and walking towards the exit.

"The same thing will probably happen tomorrow if you're lucky it might happen today at the end of school too," she responded coldly. She was about to walk out of the room when I called out for her,

"Wait!" she turned around, still staring at the ground.

"Is your name Lucy Heartfillia?" I asked.

"Why do you care?" she retorted.

"I just wanna know," I responded, curiosity taking over my body. She nodded and proceeded out the door. I relaxed my body and walked over to where she was sitting. The bench was a bit red. I wondered why.

The rest of the day was a blur, all I wanted to do was go home. I didn't see Lucy at all the rest of the day, but that didn't really matter. As soon as the final bell rang I rushed out of my seat and raced to my house. As soon as I entered I realized that no one was home. I ran upstairs and headed straight to my computer, placed on my desk. I entered in the search bar, 'Heartfillia' and tons of results popped up. 'Family becomes richest in Fiore' _So that was true. But what would the richest family in Fiore be doing in a town in Magnolia? And surely if she was that rich she would have a mansion or where nicer clothes._ I kept looking until a certain headline caught my eye. 'Mrs. Heartfillia and Mr. Heartfillia killed when Mr. Heartfillia attempts to kill his wife and his daughter' _That's why._ I kept searching, the light from the computer shining onto my zombie-like face. 'Amy Carroll adopts the young Heartfillia' I kept scrolling finding one more news article, 'Amy Carroll dies to Cancer'. It explained nearly everything. I couldn't help but feel an overwhelming guilt. Then I got an idea. _Maybe I can go to her house, and talk to her._ I decided to settle on the idea, and rushed outside, walking a few doors down to the one I saw Lucy walk into. I knock on the door and wait patiently. Finally the blonde answers. She's out of her hoodie and in a t-shirt which was covered by the same black hoodie and jeans. She looked...pretty.

"Hey," I greeted again. She didn't answer. "I was thinking, maybe we could become friends?" I asked straightforward.

"Well, you thought wrong," she stated, "Why don't you go talk to Fullbuster, he'll probably tell you more things about me, if you're really so desperate?"

"Because I don't think they're true," I stated.

"Well, they might as well be true, 'cause you sure as hell ain't getting any answers from me," she was about to slam the door on my face when I pushed my hand against her.

"I know what happened, to your mom and dad, and to your guardian, and I just wanted to say I'm sorry," I sympathized.

"Don't say sorry for things that aren't your fault now leave!' She then slammed the door on my face. I didn't argue against it. _Why won't she take help?_


	3. Near Death

As soon as finished my homework I decided to take a walk. I followed a path through the neighborhood, finding a bridge along the way. There was one girl who was standing at the edge of the bridge. It dawned upon me that the girl was Lucy and that she was about to jump off. I quickly ran to her as fast as I could, just as she was about the jump holding her back.

"STOP!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

"LET ME GO, YOU IDIOT! GIVE ME THIS! PLEASE!" her voice cracked as she tried to yell through her tears.

"STOP, I WON'T LET YOU!" I was able to pull her away from the edge. I realized that my arms were wrapped over her, in an embrace. I turned her so she was facing me, my hand tightly gripping her wrist. The terror that she was going to try again scared me.

"IDIOT! THAT WAS MY ONE CHANCE AT FREEDOM AND YOU RUINED IT!" she yelled, her voice still cracking, but now she was full on crying.

"Hey, calm down," I tried to make my voice as soft and gentle as possible, pulling her closer to me. Her crying stopped and I noticed a hint of pink had crept onto her face. My brain was going a mile a minute thinking of what to do. Then I remembered. "Show me your hand," I ordered.

"What?" she tried to act puzzled but I could see right through it.

"Show me!" I commanded louder. She gave in, pulling up her sleeve to reveal blade marks going down her arm. _She's broken._ I pulled her sleeve back down.

"We're going to your house," I ordered.

"What?! No!" she responded.

"You are taking me to your house whether you like it or not," I stood my ground. She gave in and started walking towards her house.

"Where's your room?" I asked. She had given up on arguing.

"Upstairs, the room farthest to the right," she stated. I nodded and ran up the stairs, finding the door all the way on the right. Her room wasn't painted, but filled with pictures on the wall. Some of what I assumed was her mom, and others of another girl who I predicted was Amy. Her dad had been crossed out and scribbled on with a black sharpie. Next to the pictures was a mirror, which had a ton of sticky notes attached to it. 'Ugly Whore' "Fat Ass' 'Mute Bimbo' The list ran on and on. Her closet consisted of two doors that opened like vertical doors. I pulled on the both the doors, revealing a closet filled with blades and pills even rat poison. My eyes widened in fear. I gathered anything deadly from the closet and shoved it into a bag that I planned to take home. Lucy entered shortly after I had gone through her stuff.

"I'm staying here with you," I declared.

"What?!" she asked, shocked.

"I'm not letting you hurt yourself," I explained. I noticed her eyes, now filled with emotions. _Perfect._ She sat down on the bed beside me. "So mind explaining yourself?" I asked.

"Hmm?" she questioned.

"You just tried to kill yourself, why?" I explained the question. She looked down at the ground, but I wasn't leaving until I had received a straight answer. Her eyes looked as if they were glazed. _She's crying._ I wrapped my arms around her waist, embracing her in a hug. I could tell she was taken aback by the gesture, but eventually returned it. I eventually pulled back and she spoke,

"My mom was shot by my father in an attempt to kill the two of us, but she wasn't killed before shooting him straight through the head. One of my mom's 'servants' took me in and raised me as her own, but I short while after we had moved to Magnolia she died from cancer. I was left on my own, and even while she was alive, people at school would constantly bully me. It was probably because I was naive and easy to tease. I eventually gave up on emotions and struggled through the pain of going to school. I had enough of it today and decided I would end it all," she explained. Even though all of her words were easy to assume, it still shocked me when she said all of it.

"Wow, that's hard," I stated, lamely. She wiped away her tears and nodded,

"Screw school, screw homework, screw bullies, screw friends, screw life. That was my motto," she stated. Even I would think that when everything in my life has gone wrong. I looked around the room for something to change the topic, my eyes landing on a guitar, resting against the wall.

"You play guitar?" I asked. She shook her head,

"Nope, my mom knew how to play it and gave it to me as a gift," she explained. I walked over to it and took it into my hands. I sat on the bed, my legs sitting criss-cross, getting into playing position. I slid the pick out from between the strings and held it between my fingers. "You know how to play?" she raised her eyebrow.

"What are you surprised?" I challenged.

"No, I just didn't peg you for the guy who played guitar," she explained, "I assumed that you played baseball since you knew Gray."

"I do," I confirmed, "I just do multiple things." She smiled.

"Can you play something?" she asked.

" _No, I just picked up the guitar the smash it into pieces,_ " I joked, sarcasm flowing through my words. She laughed as I began to play.

"For those days we felt like a mistake,

Those times when love's what you hate

Somehow

We keep marchin on" she seemed to recognize the song and sang with me,

"For those nights that I couldn't be there,

I've made it harder to know that you know

That somehow

We'll keep movin on

There's so many wars we fought

There's so many things we're not

But with what we have

I promise you that

We're marchin on

We're marchin on

For all of the plans we've made

There isn't a flag I'd wave

Don't care where we've been

I'd sink us to swim

We're marchin on

We're marchin on

For those doubts that swirl all around us

For those lives that tear at the seams

We know

We're not what we've seen

Oh

For this dance we move with each other

There ain't no other step

Then one foot

Right in front of the other

Oh

There's so many wars we fought

There's so many things we're not

But with what we have

I promise you that

We're marchin on

We're marchin on

For all of the plans we've made

There isn't a flag I'd wave

Don't care where we've been

I'd sink us to swim

We're marchin on

We're marchin on

Right Right Right Right Left

Right Right Right Right Left

Right Right Right Marchin On

We'll have the days we break

And we'll have the scars to prove it

We'll have the bombs that we saved

And we'll have the heart

Not to lose it

For all of the times we fought

For all of the things I'm not

Oh!

You put one foot in front of the other

We move like we ain't got no other

We go where we go we're marchin on

Marchin on

There's so many wars we fought

There's so many things we're not

But with what we have

I promise you that

We're marchin on

We're marchin on

Right Right Right Right Left

Right Right Right Right Left

Marchin On

Marchin on," I finished off the song and Lucy started clapping like crazy.

"Thank you, thank you," I bowed in my seat.

"Y'know that used to be my favorite song," she commented.

"Really, when did it stop being your favorite song?" I asked. She frowned a bit,

"When I gave up." I started to frown too but decided to forget about that.

"So what's your favorite song now?" I asked. She smiled.

"Have you heard of 'Scars to your Beautiful'?" she asked. I shook my head. She quickly raced towards her laptop, pulling up the song off of MeTube. The song started to play and Lucy mouthed the words with it.

She just wants to be beautiful

She goes unnoticed, she knows no limits

She craves attention, she praises an image

She prays to be sculpted by the sculptor

Oh, she don't see the light that's shinin'

Deeper than the eyes can find it

Maybe we have made her blind

So she tries to cover up her pain and cut her woes away

Cause cover girls don't cry after their face is made

But there's a hope that's waiting for you in the dark

You should know you're beautiful just the way you are

And you don't have to change a thing

The world could change its heart

No scars to your beautiful, we're stars and we're beautiful

And you don't have to change a thing

The world could change its heart

No scars to your beautiful, we're stars and we're beautiful

She has dreams to be an envy, so she's starving

You know, cover girls eat nothing

She says "beauty is pain and there's beauty in everything"

"What's a little bit of hunger?"

"I could go a little while longer," she fades away

She don't see her perfect, she don't understand she's worth it

Or that beauty goes deeper than the surface

So to all the girls that's hurting

Let me be your mirror, help you see a little bit clearer

The light that shines within

There's a hope that's waiting for you in the dark

You should know you're beautiful just the way you are

And you don't have to change a thing

The world could change its heart

No scars to your beautiful, we're stars and we're beautiful

No better you than the you that you are

No better you than the you that you are

No better life than the life we're living

No better life than the life we're living

No better time for your shine, you're a star

No better time for your shine, you're a star

Oh, you're beautiful, oh, you're beautiful

And there's a hope that's waiting for you in the dark

You should know you're beautiful just the way you are

And you don't have to change a thing

The world could change its heart

No scars to your beautiful, we're stars and we're beautiful

And you don't have to change a thing

The world could change its heart

No scars to your beautiful, we're stars and we're beautiful.

The song ended, and I was hooked to every word. She smiled.

"I listen to music a lot, so I don't think about, y'know, but I haven't been able since I lost my headphones. Music's one of the things that keeps me alive." I started at her in awe. She was so much deeper than the labels and the rumors, she had a sense of humor and she had motives. All I could do is along with her. "Hey, I just realized that I don't even know your name," she reminded. _Oh right._

"It's Natsu, Natsu Dragneel," I sent her a toothy grin. She smiled.

"Nice to meet you Natsu, hey, don't you wanna bring some of your stuff if you're staying her?" she asked. She was OK with me staying?

"You're coming with me," I stated sternly. She gave me a weird look, confusion spilling through her features. "I'm afraid you're going to try something." She nodded,

"Honestly, I don't trust myself either."

 **(A/N: Hope you all liked that, I personally had fun writing it, although that seems a bit wrong, It's super fun to writing this stuff. Hope you all have an AMAZING day!)**


	4. Nightmares

Lucy's POV

We had collected all his stuff and gathered it into my room. He refused to sleep in any of the other vacant rooms so we decided he would sleep on the floor.

"Are you sure? I'm fine with sleeping on the floor if you want," I persuaded. He shook his head. "C'mon, I just feel like you've done so much for me," I pushed.

" I haven't done anything," he stated. I scoffed,

"Seriously, you saved my freaking life!" I nearly yelled. He sighed.

" _Fine_ , but tomorrow I'm gonna sleep on the floor," he bargained. I smiled,

"Deal!" He smiled back at me. "It's getting dark, you wanna start getting ready for bed?" he asked. I nodded, opening my dresser. I noticed that my 'items' were gone, but I didn't really mind. I picked out an old t-shirt and paired it with some shorts and headed towards the bathroom.

( **A/N: I am most likely gonna skip over these tedious tasks considering they have no effect on the plotline whatsoever)**

I walked out of the bathroom and into my room, noticing that Natsu had changed into a t-shirt and some short as well. He had set up the blankets into a sleeping bag on the floor.

"Thanks." He nodded back at me, getting under my covers. I began to tuck myself into the blankets. My eyelids grew droopy and eventually they had fallen over my eyes, turning the room black.

 **I looked at my mom, shot and dead in front of me. My lip began to quiver as tears started to roll down my cheeks. He head turned around facing me. Her beautiful face had grown old with wrinkles and her eyes were a bright red.**

" **Mom?" I asked, my words shaky. Her smile was creepy as ever, smiling ear to ear.**

" **H-o-n-e-y w-h-y d-i-d-n-t y-o-u s-a-v-e m-e?" she asked. Tears rolled down my cheeks faster, as be breath became less and less steady.**

" **I-I don't know, Mom, I couldn't," I tried to convince myself.**

" **You could've," her voice was more consistent, but it still had cracks in it. "Now you must pay the price," she pulled out a gun and shot me in the foot. I screamed out in pain.**

" **Lucy," she called again. Tears poured faster and faster.**

" **Lucy, wake up." I felt my body being shaken. "Luce."**

I jumped straight up, my forehead covered in sweat and my eyes and cheeks stained with dried tears. I turned beside me to find Natsu.

"Good you're awake," he sighed, relieved.

"What happened," I asked him.

"You started crying and screaming, and you kept saying 'Mom'" the dream came back to me. "Bad dream?" he asked. I nodded. "Here," he picked me up off the sheets that were laid down on the floor and sat me down on the bed. He pushed my head back onto the pillow and forced my body to relax, and pulled the covers over me. He walked over to the other side of the bed and slid in, facing me. "Now when you see the dream again, I want you to picture me there with you, protecting you," he ordered. I nodded. My eyes slowly close, and as soon as they did, I felt two warm arms wrap around my waist, pulling me closer to him.

 **I was in a hallway, and at the end of it, a ghost of my dad stood with a gun. I quickly started to run away from him, gunshots echoing through the halls.**

" **C'mon Lucy, aren't you daddy's girl?" he asked. His voice was twisted and dark. The sounds of my footsteps followed the gunshots. The I remembered what Natsu said. I imagined Natsu and, sure enough, he was right there in front of me. I looked behind myself to see my father with a gun.**

" **Luce, get behind me," he commanded. I did as he said and hid behind him.** " **Are you the one who tried to kill Lucy," the figure nodded. He laughed. "If you think you're even going to touch her, you're wrong!" he yelled. All of a sudden his fist turned into fire. For some reason in my dreams, everyone had some sort of magic power. Natsu's was Dragon Slayer Fire Magic. Mine was celestial spirit magic, meaning I could call upon spirits to aid me. "Fire Dragon Iron Fist!" he yelled as he ran up to the figure. Gunshots filled the room, but Natsu dodged them all. "DON'T YOU DARE TRY TO HURT LUCY EVER AGAIN! YOU HEAR ME!" he yelled, right before the punch had made contact with his body. THUD! The figure of her dad fell onto the floor.** _ **Dead.**_ **Natsu turned around, facing me.** _ **Shouldn't the dream be over now? That's how all of these dreams end, I nearly die or I get close to defeating them.**_ **But it wasn't. I was still in the endless plain of halls that intertwined.**

" **Luce," he said, his voice as smooth as silk. I looked back at him, my eyes speaking for themselves as a reply. "Wake up, Luce, time for school," my body rocked back and forth.**


	5. Gray

My eyes fluttered up, revealing the pink haired boy trying to wake me up. My eyes closed again.

"No mom, five more minutes," I groaned, only imagining his reaction. I could almost feel him smirking.

"Honey, you _have_ to wake up! You'll be late!" he tried to impersonate an old lady, his voice cracking when he went to high. I laughed.

"But I don't wanna.." I whined, my eyes peeking a glance, he was smirking.

"Young lady, get up this instant!" he nagged. Finally I opened my eyes, the pink haired boy smiling his famous toothy grin. I looked over to the side table next to my bed and checked my phone. In bright bold letters the phone read, '6:30'. I wanted to punch him.

"You lied! We are _sooooo_ early," I whined again, and he was laughing.

"School starts at 8 right," he asked. I nodded, "Well, I didn't know how long you would take, and I don't know how far school is from here, so, I picked 6:30," he explained, his insight flawless. I nodded again, lazily getting out of bed, dragging myself over to the dresser. I pulled out a random t-shirt and paired it with jeans and my black hoodie. I brought the clothes with me to the bathroom.

Time skip cuz, I'm bored

I walked back into the room, finding a fully dressed Natsu sitting on the bed, staring at something. I walk into the room, my eyes landing on his focus, a set of pictures of me, and my ever-evolving family. One had me when I was five with my mom and dad side by side, me in the middle in front of them. The next of me when I was 7, and it was just one of me, alone. Amy took that when we were about to move. My eyes moved their gaze slightly, focusing on the next picture. It was me and Amy when I was 13, hugging, we were about to move to Magnolia. Then following it, was on of me when I was about to finish my freshman year. I had taken it myself, and I was just standing there, emotionless. I shifted a bit, allowing Natsu to recognize my presence.

"Hey, you took long enough," he broke the silence. I snapped myself out of my thoughts and looked at him. His outfit consisted of a black and orange t-shirt paired with white pants.

"I took five minutes," I countered.

"I took three, and it was more like seven minutes," he was hung on proving me wrong. Me flustered face caused him to smirk.

"Shut up, let's go," I nearly commanded. He nodded and we both walked down the stairs to the front door.

"Hey, what about breakfast?" the mention of food caused my stomach to growl. I hadn't had food for a few days. Natsu seemed to notice this and grabbed my wrist, dragging me to the kitchen. He looked around the cupboards for the pantry eventually finding it. "Do you want anything in particular," the ending of the sentence speaking for itself. He wasn't gonna let me leave without eating. But still I tried to avoid it,

"I'm fine, you can eat though," I pushed. He sent me a glance which said, _You aren't leaving without food._ Stern yet caring. I sighed, "Just get me some cereal," his face changed from a frown to a smile in an instant, pulling out a box of Cheerios. He found two bowls and poured an equal amount into each of them, setting them on the table at which I was sitting. He took as seat next to me and started to dig in. He ate like he wasn't going to get the chance to eat ever again. I smiled at the goofy look on his face, as he swallowed all of his food. I looked at my bowl, and hesitantly took one bite. Once the taste of the food hit my taste buds, I was reminded of how good food tasted. I had to stop myself from eating like a dog, or a Natsu. I took in three more bites, until declaring myself full. I discarded the rest of the bowl while Natsu had finished the entire thing within a matter of minutes. We both had finally decided to go outside.

Processes are boring and hard to write so, Yeah

 **Natsu's POV**

We both had made are way outside, she clutching her jacket trying to bare through the harsh cold. It was pretty cold for the second day of school, fall didn't even last long, winter just wanting it's presence.

"It's not _that_ cold," I commented. She looked annoyed.

"Of course you're not cold, you have such a high body temperature," she retorted. I laughed. She was right. Then I heard a voice split through the strong winds.

"Natsu!" the voice called. I looked over to the place the voice was coming from. My eyes found a Gray, walking alone to school, walking a few paces behind us. He sped up his pace to try to keep up with us, and respectively Lucy slowed her pace. I guess she was trying to avoid him. "I told you not to hang out with her, she's trouble, especially for your reputation," he advised. This made me angry. Everyone in the school made fun of her, so much so that they drove her near the point of death. Everyone who made her want to die is my enemy. I guess that means the entire school is my enemy.

"You don't know her," I scoffed.

"And you do?" he questioned. My head hesitantly nodded, his eyes widening. "How?"

"Research and we met on a walk," I'm not lying right? I don't really think Lucy would appreciate me telling Gray that she tried to kill herself, and then I saved her.

"Look dude, you don't know what she's done," he gossiped.

"And you don't know what she's been through!" and with that, I slowed my pace, leaving him ahead of me, Lucy, evening her steps with mine. She looked, like she was about to cry.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I asked her. Her eyes met mine, tears now flowing down her cheeks. But she was smiling. She clumsily wrapped me in a surprise hug as fast as she could. She looked like a little shy kid, seeking shelter by clinging to her dad. At first I was shocked by the forward gesture, but eased into it, stopping in our tracks. After a while of hugging, she broke the intense silence,

"Thank you." She was smiling like a little kid that just a candy bar from their best friend.

"No problem, any time," I stated. She pulled away from the hug, _is she blushing?_ "We should keep going, we're gonna be late," I urged. She looked disappointed for some odd reason, but inevitably nodded. "Hey," I grabbed her wrist as she was about to keep walking. "It'll be fine, I'll protect you," I vowed. She smiled and we continued walking along the sidewalk. Gray was nowhere in sight.

 **(A/N: YOOOO! I just went to my email and I saw so many people had favorited the story and followed the story and are following me! That's AWESOME! I really appreciate your support and it means the world to me. Thank you all SOOOO much! Hope you're day is going great and hope I could make it better :) )**


	6. Lisanna

Lucy's POV

The school's gates inched ever closer. I felt nervousness fill my mind. _Why am I nervous? This happens every day. Are you nervous for him?_ I knew we were inside when I heard people's whispers.

"Slut."

"B*tch"

"Bimbo."

"Whore." They went on and on. Then, everyone stopped, for some weird reason. I looked behind me to see Natsu, giving them all the evilest evil eye ever. I laughed to myself. Then I heard _her_ voice.

"Lucy~" she cooed. Her voice was so sweet, it was weird to think that she was the one who ruined my school life. "Come over here~" it called again. Suddenly, as I was about to walk over, I felt a presence in front of me. I looked up noticing the pink haired boy who had found his way in front of me.

"You'd better leave right now," he asserted.

"Or what?" she challenged. I couldn't see his face, but I knew there was a fire in his eyes, like the one from my dreams. All of a sudden my brain started going a thousand miles a minute, predicting every action that each side would make. _She could act all innocent to the principal like she didn't know a thing about it. I need to catch her on tape._ I quickly fumbled inside my pocket for my phone, switching to the camera. I didn't point it at her face, that would be too obvious. The phone merely recorded the ground, the voices the only thing seen

"Just don't test me, leave Lucy alone and we can both walk out unharmed," he threatened.

"Natsu.." the sound came out breathy, barely even a whisper.

"Aww, but Lucy is like my little punching bag, also I wouldn't go around threatening me either, just a warning," she coaxed, her goons, jocks, moving forward, their fist shoved into their open palm.

"I'm not really one for fighting girls, but if I have to, I won't hesitate, consider that my warning," he scoffed. "C'mon Luce, let's go," his arm found its way around my shoulder, forcing me closer to his chest. I looked up, to see him looking straight forward, then his gaze shifted over to me, sending me a warm smile.

"She's gonna try and get you in trouble with the principal," I stated plainly. He looked away from me, his look returning to its former serious self.

"I know," he replied, the same tone as before.

"I have proof against her," I stated again, his eyes lighting up.

"Really?!" he almost squealed like a little girl.

"Yeah, so if she tries anything, I can send her the video," I explain. He looked at me with a borderline confused look.

"Hasn't she done enough?!" he nearly yells. It reminds me of my dad when he was with me alone. Memories start flooding in of my dad when he was around. When he was with my mom, he was a different person, then when he was just with me... I felt salty tears slide down my face. As soon as I realized I was crying, I tried to look away from Natsu, but then I felt a warm hand on the side of my face. It slowly turned my head toward Natsu, his smile different than before. It was more of a comforting smile, not like his signature grin. With the same hand that was touching my face, he wiped off my tears with his thumb. My orbs got bigger, like the puppy dog eyes you gave your parents when you wanted candy, except less puppy, more thanks. _He cares, right?_ _When did I ever know anything about people caring, the only people who ever cared about me died?_ I wanted to hug him, I wanted to cry, I wanted to say thank you, I wanted to go home... I ran up to him like before, encasing him in a hug, burying my head into his chest, crying into his shirt. I felt him flinch when I first hugged him, but soon after, two warm hands found their way onto the backside of my torso.

"Thank you..." I whispered into his shirt, the sound coming out muffled.

"I told you before, anytime," he replied, his chin resting on my head.

 **(A/N: Sorry if this was a bit shorter than usual, I'm kinda running out of ideas. Speaking of ideas, since I have finally posted all the chapters that I have written in Docs, I really need ideas for the story, so I decided to ask you guys about it! Where do you guys want me to take the story, and if I find any I like, I'll most likely base my story off of it. Also since I have caught up on all the chapters, updates will take a bit longer,** ** _but_** **I will try to make them as organized as possible, for right now you guys can assume that every Monday I will have a new chapter! That way I get a week to write these soooo, Yeah! Anyway review, give me your ideas weekly updates, Have an AWESOME day!)**


	7. Lighten Up

Classes were a blur, all I could remember was Natsu walking me to my classes, and me staring through the window during class. During school on a normal day, I may only say 1 word, 'here' but now Natsu was talking to me, talking for me to others. It was different. But I didn't mind. I would tell him about how much of a nerd I was.

"Yeah, I love reading and writing, I'm actually writing my own novel right now. I also _love_ anime, it's my life! Besides that I've started taking interest in singing, so yeah." Then he would talk about how much of a goofy weirdo he was,

"For me, it's baseball, guitar, reading and comedy." It explained how much of a class clown he was, seriously, he was the only thing that made class interesting. Now it was lunch, and we both decided to eat at the roof.

"Hey Luce," my mind never considered how he had subconsciously given me the nickname Luce. I thought it was cute. I look over to him in response.

"Why do you always have lunch on the roof?" he asked. _I can't tell him._

"I...just like to get away from it all, y'know," I explain.

"I know, but why the roof in particular?" he pushes. They always push. My emotions fluster around for an answer other than the one I already know. I sigh in defeat and begin to explain,

"I've told you everything, might as well tell you this. I always used to come up here and consider it, and I'd sit on the edge and think long and hard. But I could never bring myself to it...I don't really know why..." I explained. Then I questioned myself, _Why am I telling a person that I don't even know the secrets that not even my parents know about?_

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked," he apologized.

"No, it's fine, it's great to have all of this off of my chest, thank you," I assured. He smiled.

"You don't have to thank me for anything," he said. I look back at him.

"Yes I do, you saved my life for God's sake, and then on top of that you become my only friend...if anything I can't thank you enough," I explained.

"That stuff's just common decency," he shrugged.

"Well then, common decency must not be so common," I laughed.

"Hey, Luce?" he asked.

"Yeah," I responded.

"Do you wanna come to my baseball practice, it won't be long, I promise, and you can do homework while you're there?" he offered. I looked over to him in shock. _I've met this guy yesterday after he saved my life, he volunteered to stay at my house to protect me from myself and then after all of that he becomes my friend, saves me from a bully and offers to let me come to his practice. I swear it's like we've known eachother for years._

"I don't know...everyone there probably hates me..." I explained.

"So, you gonna let someone tell you what to do?" he asked. I hesitantly shook my head. "Good, then come!" he urged. He was like a little kid begging his parents to go to the candy store. Candy store? Do they even have those anymore? I laughed at his childish expression.

" _Fine,_ why not, I don't have anything better to do," I sighed as his face lit up. "God, you look like a little kid," I teased.

"And you're acting like an adult, c'mon, lighten up a bit," he smiled. _Lighten up?_ All of a sudden we heard the soft echoing of the bell in the halls. Natsu and I walked out and headed to our respective classes, but not before he said,

"See you at practice!"

 **(A/N: Sorry that was a shorter than usual, kinda in a rush to get this out since I'm traveling, and also writer's block was kinda consuming me. ANYWAYS I hope you are having and awesome day, and I hope I could make it a bit better. ALSO I'm still looking for ideas, so your help is much appreciated. Also since this was short, I'll probably have one up this week, but it will go faster if you guys PITCH IDEAS, please. I'm really bad with plot... BOIIIIIIIIIIII!) XD**


	8. New Friends

DING! The last bell rung out, and students raced out of each and every classroom, shoving other kids, just so that they could reach the beloved exit. I, on the other hand, waited until everyone had left the classroom until I bid the teacher farewell and walked through the crowded halls. A few kids bumped into me on my way to the field, but I didn't really care all to much. Eventually, I had made my way outside to the baseball fields and took a seat on the lowest bleacher. I glanced over to the field, everyone had finally left the locker rooms and reached the field. I noticed that a few other girls had come over to the bleachers. There was one redhaired girl, who looked to be a senior, I believed that she was the head of student council. Next to her was a girl who a believed is named Juvia, blue hair under a darker blue hat, also known as the most obsessive girlfriend ever. I think she's dating Gray, or maybe she just want's to believe that, I don't know, I heard it from someone. A little ways away sat a girl with a similar hair color to Juvia, except her hair was left messy and wild, only tamed by a single orange headband. I think she's new. Then a few bleachers above them sat Lisanna with her sister Mirajane. _Crap! Lisanna's here! Just ignore her, just ignore her._ I looked back at the field to see that they had started playing. Since Natsu was new, I assumed that they'd give him different positions on defense, then test out his offensive skills. Right now, his role was pitcher. I don't really take must interest in baseball, but as far as I could tell, Natsu was doing pretty good. The eventually switched him out and told him to play right field **(A/N: Is that the field that doesn't gets hit to a lot, I can't remember)** , which was pretty close to the bleachers. Right field is pretty boring considering that no one ever hits to it, unless they're left handed. I pulled out my homework, from my backpack, and while doing so, I felt a presence next to me. _Please don't be Lisanna! Please don't be Lisanna!_ I turn my head so I am facing them, and find that it's the new blue haired girl. _Phew!_

"Hey, you're in my English class, right?" she asked. I hesitantly nodded my head. _She's new, maybe she doesn't know!_

"Awesome! Do you like reading and writing like me?" she asked.

"Yeah! I'm actually working on a novel currently," I beamed. She smiled.

"That's pretty cool! You're gonna have to show it to me sometime!" she smiled. _She's so sweet. And so naturally pretty._ We continued talking until someone yelled out,

"WATCH OUT!" I looked up to see a baseball heading right for me. I pulled out my arms to try to block it, but instead of pain, I felt, some sort of wind. I opened my eyes to see that Natsu had caught the baseball right in front of me. He looked over to me and smirked,

"You really don't know the meaning of 'watch out'," he teased. I felt my face warm up, but quickly covered it up with an annoyed face,

"Shut up! Why don't you do back to your practice?!" I yelled and he laughed,

"No thank you..." he teases.

"YO, NATSU! STOP FLIRTING WITH THE GIRL AND BRING BACK THE BALL!" One of his teammates with long black hair yelled from across the field.

"SHUT UP!" he yelled back, "See ya, Luce," He smiled as he ran back to his teammates. I felt my face flush over red. I felt a dull pain in my chest. It was the blue haired girl elbowing me,

"Is he your _boyfriend_ ~" she teased, raising and lowering her eyebrows. I instantly turned redder and redder.

"N-no, we're just friends!" I argued. _Why am I acting like this, it's not like I LIKE him...right?!_ All of a sudden a different bluenette allowed herself into the conversation.

"New girl doesn't like Gray-sama, right? LOVE RIVAL!" she yelled, when, all of a sudden, I burst out in laughter.

"Nope, he's all your's," I joked. Then the other bluenette chimed in,

"Hey, I just realized I didn't get your name." I looked around. _If I tell them my name...STOP OVER ANALYZING, JUST TELL THEM!_

"Lucy," I whispered. To my surprise, they both smiled,

"Nice to meet you, Lu, my named Levy!" _She doesn't..._

"Hi Love Rival, Juvia's name is Juvia!" she smiled. _Nooo...surely they know. Right?_

"Wait, don't you guys hear the stuff people say about me?" I asked, curiously. They both shrugged.

"I don't really believe any of that crap, you seem nice enough," she smiled. _Really?_

"Yeah! Juvia thinks that they're all just being big meanies!" she folded her hands over her chest like a little kid. I relate a lot of things to little kids, don't I? Whatever.

"But didn't Gray always-" she cut me off.

"After Natsu talked with him, Gray Sama did some research himself!" Juvia exclaimed, "He's so sweet~, after he saw all that stuff, he felt really bad," she hugged herself.

"Gray better say sorry soon!" the scarlet haired girl scolded.

"Sorry?" I asked, confused. She looked over to me and started talking,

"It has come up to me that you've been bullied in school, right? And the claims aren't true," she asked. _Who told her?_

"How did you know?" I asked. She smiled,

"That pink haired kid that just saved your face did." _Really?_ My face turned from peach to pink in a matter of seconds. Then Levy called out,

"Look! Practice is over!" Levy cheered. 5 boys walked over to the bleachers, while the rest of the boys headed back to the locker rooms. Natsu, Gray, a blue haired boy with a red tattoo over and under his eye, a boy with long black hair and piercing over his eyes and down his nose and a boy with blonde hair and a lightning shaped scar going down his face. The blonde haired boy went over to Mira, the blue haired boy to Erza, the black haired boy to Levy and Natsu and Gray both walked over to me.

"Gray Sama!" Juvia called from besides me. Gray looked terrified.

"Be there in a second Juvia," he replied. He had a look on his face that said, 'Hide me!' I smiled inwardly.

"Hey Luce, Gray has something to say," he gestured over to Gray. I looked over to him as he sighed.

"Look, I did some stupid crap without knowing anything and I'm sorry and if you can forg-," I cut of his apology,

"Already have," I smiled and his face lit up.

"See Gray, it wasn't _that_ hard," Natsu teased and Gray glared back at him.

"Shut up, Flamebrain!" he yelled.

"Elsa just 'Let it go'!" He laughed as I joined in.

"LOVE RIVAL!" Juvia yelled from behind me. I looked back at her and said,

"I told you, I'm not interested-"

"Juvia isn't talking about you! She's talking about NATSU!" She looked over at him as if she was going to explode. I started laughing like crazy.

"OH MY GOD GRATSU! I SHIP IT!" I yelled. All of a sudden, Mirajane popped up from behind us,

"Did someone say _ship_?!" she smiled evilly. Suddenly, Juvia pushed me aside and started to ran after Gray, who respectively started running away. In the distance I could hear Juvia yell,

"GRAY SAMA, JUVIA WANTS TO MAKE GRUVIA HAPPEN!" I started laughing even harder. _These people sure aren't boring._ Then Natsu came up to me.

"I heard that you talked with the head of the Student Council for me," I grinned.

"Yeah...about that..." He scratched the back of his neck.

"I thought it was super sweet," I giggled. Then I felt a presence behind me. Then someone yelled,

"Now...KISS!" I looked over to see that the sound was coming from Mirajane who was smiling. I felt myself turn bright red as Natsu laughed. He then looked back at me and smirked evilly,

"Can't disappoint, right?"

 **(A/N: This was BY FAR the most fun chapter to make! I could not contain my laughter throughout it! Also, I assure you this is NOT OVER! In fact it is not even close...I have a lot of work to do... ANYWAY, I am still looking for major conflict ideas so IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY PUT THEM IN THE REVIEWS...PLEASE...writers block is consuming my life. Hope you liked this fun little chapter, BOIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII)**


	9. Dreams and Dances

"Can't disappoint, right?" My blush intensified if it could intensify more. I stared down at the ground. _Did he just...? Eh?!_ I looked back up to him and smacked him upside the head.

"STOP MESSING WITH ME!" I yelled out and he chuckled.

"Remind me to do that again sometime," he teased, as I folded my hands over my chest,

"In your dreams," I countered and he doubled over in laughter.

"Hey, let's get home," he suggested as I nodded. _We'll leave the weirdos to do their thing._

The cold wind brushed against the warms stitches of my jacket allowing only a dull fraction of the cold to reach my skin. It was now becoming dark, and the flicker of lampposts illuminated the concrete path. Natsu and I walked side by side, silence befalling the two of us. I scanned over all the houses, trying to assess the details of the houses to dictate which one was my own.

Finally I had found a match and the two of us walked inside. Natsu remained downstairs, probably searching for food or something, while I walked upstairs to change.

After a few minutes, I walked back down the stairs, fitted in a t-shirt and sweatpants, my eyes droopy.

"Natsu, don't you wanna go to sleep?" I asked, my words barely able to form. My mouth just did feel like talking.

"I'm gonna come up later, but you need to sleep _now_ ," he playfully ordered, pushing me back up the stairs.

"But," I paused for a moment, "I'm gonna get scared," I mumbled in the voice of a kid. Natsu looked at me with a sympathetic look, then assessed his options.

"Lucy, I need to finish my homework," he whined.

"Then I'll stay with you until your done," I offered. Natsu sighed,

" _Fine,_ " he gave in as I mentally cheered. We both walked back to the kitchen and both sat down at the table, as he struggled with his homework, I watched as his expression stayed concentrated.

Within a few seconds, I was knocked out cold, well not actually. I was more half asleep, occasionally peeking over at him. He glanced back at me, smiling.

"Time to get you to bed," he spoke, more to himself, as a felt my weight shift off the chair. He had placed on of his hands under my head, and the other in the crook of my bent legs **(A/N: AKA Bridal Style).** My eyes remained shut as I heard footsteps up the stairs, and the steady creak of the door opening. Then my weight was placed onto a comfortable surface, and a fluffy comforter was draped over me. I heard the bed shuffle a bit, and then a warm presence beside me.

"G'night Luce," then I heard nothing.

" **Lucy~" a dark sinister voice cooed over the darkness. It was unmistakeable.** _ **No, not today**_ _**.**_ **I tried to imagine Natsu again, but he wouldn't come.**

" **Lucy~ aren't you excited to see your dad?" the voice whined.** _ **Where are you Natsu?**_

" **LUCY!" the large voice scolded, "Come great your father!" Wet tears shuffled down my cheeks.**

" **NO! YOUR DEAD! YOU DIED WITH HER!" I screamed through my tears. I could almost hear the voice smirk.**

" **Then how am I hear?" the voice questioned mischievously.** _ **Where in the hell is Natsu when you need him the most?**_ _**What if this isn't...? No this has to be a dream, right?**_

" **NATSU!" I called over his voice. Nothing happened. "Please..." I began crying again. Then a different voice spoke,**

" **Lucy, sweetie, you've grown so much," the voice was sweet and gentle, smooth like silk.** _ **No, Mom?**_ **My dad's voice didn't respond, so it had to be in my head, and my head only.**

" **Lucy, he's co-" she was cut off by a rough voice that loomed over all.**

" **Luce, wake up!" a familiar voice whisper-shouted.**

I shot up out of my bed to find Natsu sitting up on the bed as well. "Lucy, you OK?" he questioned, worrisome. My breath was fast and uneven, and my voice felt weary. "You started crying and saying random stuff, and eventually called out for me, since then I was trying to wake you up," he explained. _He's so sweet._

"Yeah...umm..."I fumbled with my words. _What do I wanna do? Should I tell him?_

"Bad dream, again?" he raised his eyebrow. _He always knows._ I nodded my head. "Did you listen to my advice from before?" I nodded my head again. "So?" he asked.

"You didn't appear," I was on the verge of tears. _Why am I so weak?_ I shoved my face into the palms of my hands, salty water pouring through. In my despair felt two arms wrap around me. Lifting my head from my hands, I looked up, making eye contact with the owner of the arms. _Natsu._

"I don't know what happened in your dreams but I will always protect you," he declared. A smiled tugged at the edges of my lips as I glanced over at the time. _5:47, too late to go back to sleep._ Natsu loosened his grip on me and I did the same. He looked...so serious, even scary. I tried to lighten the mood,

"Looks like it's too late to go back to sleep," I yawned, "might as well get ready," I offered as he nodded. _I hate to see him like this._

We had both finished getting ready and with 30 minutes to spare before we needed to even start walking to school.

"I'm bored~" Natsu whined.

"We could play a video game," I pointed out. All of a sudden his eyes light up as he smiled.

"You got a console?" he asked eagerly. I smiled at his excitement.

"Yeah, I have a couple games too," I leaned over next to a pile of disks by the TV. "MarioKart, Mortal Kombat, Super Smash Bros-"

"SUPER SMASH BROS" he nearly ordered as I grinned, almost evilly.

"Gonna have to warn you, that's my best game." He laughed out, almost started crying.

"You're kidding, right?" he kept laughing.

"What? I don't look like the type to be good at video games?" I asserted. He smiled evilly,

"Yup."

"I warned you," I cautioned. He smirked, and I could tell I might regret this.

"Fine, if you're _so good_ how about we make this a bit more interesting?" he coaxed.

"What do you have in mind?" I questioned. His smirk grew bigger. _What's he up too?_

"If I win, you have to go to the dance with me," he bargained, smiling proudly at his bet. _I'm blushing, aren't I? Curse you emotions!_

"Huh?"

"Are you chicken?" he teased. _He did not just call me chicken! I AIN'T NO CHICKEN!_

"You're on!" I yelled as he grabbed the controller triumphantly.

"Hah! I win! That's what you get for calling me chicken!" I boasted out of rejoice. _Why is a small part of me sad?_ Natsu looked so disappointed, his head faced down.

"Awww..." he whispered, looking heartbroken. I tried to avoid the subject, I hated to see him sad.

"Look at the time! We're gonna be late!" I pushed.

"He did WHAT?!" Levy blurted out in lunch. Natsu was outside for practice, leaving me with my new found friend, Levy McGarden.

"We were bored so I said we could play a video game, and said if he won I had to go with him to the dance," I explained.

"And?" she forced me to continue.

"I beat him!" I bragged.

"Awww, you should've let him win," she pouted. _But then...HUH?!_

"Why?" I asked, intrigued.

"Because then my ship would've sailed," she spoke out loud unknowingly, immediately covering her mouth afterward.

"You ship me and Natsu?!" I wanted to strangle her, but at the same time, I felt embarrassed. _Why am I embarrassed? Do I...no...right?_ She sighed then proceeded to elbow me with a... _look_ on her face.

"C'mon, you know you like him," she teased and my face turned red. I was about to punch her when a voice interrupted me.

"Like who?" the familiar voice inquired. I swiftly turned my head, finding myself eye to eye with Natsu. My face started burning with embarrassment. _Crap!_

"NO ONE!" I shook my head over and over again just to assure him it was nothing. He laughed at my dynamic motions. Within seconds the bell had rung, disrupting our rather embarrassing conversation.

"See ya Luce!" he waved, walking the other direction of me and Levy. Levy, now, was giggling like a maniac about something.

"What's so funny?" I asked, rather stern. She began laughing harder,

"You totally like him," she giggled. I felt my face turn redder,

"NO I DON'T, now DROP IT!" I argued as she snickered before settling with a mischievous grin,

"Whatever you say." She and I both continued walking towards our classes. I noticed someone walking over to us while we were walking. _Mira._

"Hey, I heard you guys talking earlier..."she smirked evilly. _Whatever's gonna happen, I can bet it's not gonna be good._

"Of course you did..."I groaned. Now Levy was smirking along with her, and they both seemed to have a conversation with their eyes. _I'm scared._

"Yeah, did you hear what happened with Natsu and Lucy," she snickered. _NOPE, NOPE, NOPE!_

"Yeah...he was basically asking you to the dance!" she cheered, elbowing me. Now Levy had this weird look on her face, which was a mixture of every emotion in existence. _Is she...fangirling?_

"OK guys, I need to get to class, see you later!" I waved. I wasn't able to focus on the lessons in class, I was staring into space, and all I could think about was that stupid bet and what Levy and Mira had said. _If I win, you have to go to the dance with me. Awww, you should've let him win. Yeah...he was basically asking you to the dance!_

"Miss Heartfilia, do you know the answer to number 8?" the teacher interrupted my thoughts. I glanced back down at my algebra worksheet, my eyes finding their way to question 8. _Crap! I suck at math..._ I stuttered for an answer, eventually finding none of my knowing. After a few more seconds of silence, he scoffed at me and exchanged looks with another.

"Miss Corona, could you help Miss Heartfilia with this problem." The girl silently nodded then spoke,

"57," she answered plainly.

"Good," he smiled, going back to the problem. I sighed and waited impatiently for the bell.

Never soon enough classes were over, and Natsu and I had met outside the school to go home. The soft sound of two footsteps was all that broke the calm silence. Thoughts and emotions rushed in and out of my head, leaving me with ideas, some that would never see the light of day. But one...oh but one.

"Natsu?" I asked as his head swiftly jerked towards me. "I-" the thought faded into the harsh reality of questions. _What are you doing?! Just drop it, OK?_ Heh, I didn't have enough delusion to continue my idea 'till the end. Whatever. "Sorry, it was nothing," I explained.

"Are you sure?" he asked, followed by a half-hearted nod.

The next two days were like a replica of this one. I'd have a bad dream, Natsu would comfort me, we'd head to school, Levy and Mira would tease me about Natsu, Natsu would embarrass me further and I would try again with my stupid idea.

"Luce?" Natsu interrupted the silence. I glanced over at him, signaling that I was listening. "You've been acting really weird these past three days." _Crap...should I tell him?_

"Oh it's just nothing," I tried to push an excuse out quickly. Natsu gave me a questioning look and asked again,

"If there's something you wanna say, just spit it out." I sighed. _Might as well._

"I was thinking...we never talked about what would happen if I won, y'know, the game we had a few days ago," I pointed out. He let out a solemn sigh.

"Please don't torture me," he nearly begged as I laughed.

"Nope, I got something better in mind," I smirked as he flinched. He had the most hilarious look on his face. It took all my willpower to keep a straight face.

"Please don't hurt me," he mustered out meekly.

"Stop it, I'm not gonna hurt you," I let out as he sighed in relief. "Since I won... _you_ have to go to the dance with _me_ ," I smiled triumphantly at my witty victory. He just stood there with the most puzzled look on his face.

"But...huh?" he questioned. _Jeez he's dense, does he even know how much courage that took?!_

"I just asked you to the dance weirdo!" I exclaimed, annoyance finding its way through my words. At first, he looked confused, then pleased, then he was smirking evilly.

"Well, if you _really_ want me to, I guess I could go with you," he teased as I elbowed him.

"Need I remind you that you're the one who asked me first," I reminded and he smiled.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he scoffed and I grinned.

"Remember, you were all like 'Please go to the dance with me Lucy! PLEASE!'" I teased back and he crossed his arms over his chest.

"That's not what happened!" he argued. I doubled over with laughter.

"I'm pretty sure it's exactly what happened," I giggled. All of a sudden I felt something push onto my shoulders, pushing me towards a wall. My eyes opened, revealing Natsu, with a devilish look on his face. He had pinned me to the wall of the house.

"N-Natsu...?" I stuttered out, my face turning red.

"I think I've proven my point," he smirked. I looked around, trying to avoid his gaze. _Stupid heart!_

"STOP IT NATSU!" I yelled as he lowered his arms.

"You are so fun to mess with," he teased as I folded my arms over my chest.

"Shut up!"

"Natsu! If you're done flirting with your girlfriend, let's go!" My face grew warmer and warmer. _Girlfriend?_

"I am not his girlfriend!"

Natsu smirked, "See ya later Luce!" My brain was too engulfed in thought to reply. _What the hell just happened?_ Before my brain could go any further, Levy and Mira appeared from behind me. _CAN THEY TELEPORT OR SOMETHING!_

"Lu~" she said as she nudged me. "He just called you his girlfriend~" she teased. _I'm blushing, aren't I?_

"Really? Because I don't recall the part of the conversation when he said, 'Lucy is my girlfriend,'!" I argued as Mira butt in,

"Technically speaking, he didn't argue against the idea of you being his girlfriend," Mira stated matter-of-factly. _Who thinks about this kind of stuff?_

"So, it doesn't prove _anything_!" I retorted.

"Actually, it proves a lot," Levy pointed out, "Also, we heard the first part of the conversation also."

"ARE YOU GUYS STALKING ME?!" I shouted, maybe a bit louder than I should've, but I don't really care.

"Lu, it was _so_ cute! You asked him to the dance and he said 'Yes'!" she cheered as I groaned.

"Not really, and I only asked him because..." I couldn't think of an answer. _Why_ _ **did**_ _I ask him?_ I had the most confused look on my face.

"Because?" Levy questioned, smirking. _UGH!_

"It's because she likes him but she's too afraid to say it!" Mira concluded, smiling.

"No! I don't like him!" I yelled.

"Aww, c'mon Lu...you at least _care_ about him," she forced on me.

"I guess..." I shrugged.

"I wonder how your parents will react?" wondered Mira. I winced as if someone had just stabbed me in the side with a knife. _Oh yeah, she doesn't know..._ I turned away from them as my eyes grew misty. _No, I'm not gonna cry, I've cried enough._

"Lu, what's wrong," Levy asked. I gritted my teeth. _I'm not gonna cry, I'm not gonna cry._

"My- my parents died when I was little..." I explained in barely a whisper. Mira immediately covered her mouth.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't-" she rushed in apology.

"No, it's fine, it's not your fault," I grunted. _Hah, repressed memories..._ "Let's just drop it, OK? I gotta get to class," I pulled my backpack over my shoulder, gripping the straps tightly. I glanced back over at them, "Hey, do either of you know when the dance is?" I asked. They decided to drop the teasing.

"Two days from now," Levy stated. I nodded back at them. _Two days._ A voice appeared in my head. _**Two more days, Lucy.**_

 **A/N: Hey, sorry for not updating, my friend was really pushing me to update on the Google Doc I was working on and now I have extra chapters for you guys, so the next chapters will be up soon :). Anyway, it's safe to say that I have some sort of ideas for this, including fluff and seriousness. Sooo, YEAH! Hope y'all enjoyed this! BOI**


	10. The Man in the Cloak

" **Luuucy~, one more day~" the voice cooed.**

" **One more day for what?" I questioned to the voice. No response.**

" **Mind saying hi to Mommy for me~" the voice cooed again.**

I shot up from the bed, gasping for air heavily. I glanced over to my side to see Natsu fast asleep. _Good, now what the hell just happened. One more day for what?_ I glanced over at the time, 4:54. _I might aswell wake up._ I pushed the blanket of of my legs, pushing myself off the bed. Then something caught my arm. It was a warm hand. I glanced back to see that it belonged to a half asleep Natsu.

"Go back to sleep, you look tired," he whispered, before shutting his eyes again. I looked back at him, slightly shocked, but in the end listening to his command.

"HUH?!" I yelled, grabbing the arms of Levy and shaking her.

"Shhh! And Yes! He asked me!" she exclaimed. I squealed like a fangirl. Correction, I fangirled like a fangirl.

"Ooooh~ Gajeel asked you to the dance~" I sang and she blushed, quickly covering my mouth.

"Stop it!" she whisper yelled and I started giggling.

"Now I have something to tease _you_ with," I smiled in victory. All of a sudden, Mira came running towards us. "Mira, what are you doing here?" I questioned. _Pretty sure seniors have a different lunch then us._

"I SENSED A NEW SHIP!" she exclaimed, squealing immediately after.

"Of course you did," Levy sighed.

"Well you sensed right, Levy and Gajeel are going to the dance together!" I explained rather loudly.

"EEEEE! I SHIP IT!" She yelled, "GaLe for life!" she snickered as I joined in.

"Shut UP!" she urged, "What about you Mira, aren't you going with someone?" she asked, trying to avoid the topic.

"Well, ummmmmm...STOP TRYING TO CHANGE THE TOPIC!" She yelled out in frustraction. _They're so hilarious where they're frustrated._ I laughed inwardly and the two looked at me as if I was crazy.

"What are you laughing about?" Mira inquired. I began laughing even more.

"Has she gone crazy?" Levy chimed in.

"Sorry, it's just that you guys look so hilarious when you're flustered!" I exclaimed through laughter.

"Than reminds me of someone else I know," a familiar voice spoke from behind me. I stood up straight and let out a small, "Meep!" before turning around to find the holder. _Of course..._ In front of me stood Natsu, smiling. The moment that I recognized that it was him I elbowed him with a bit of force.

"Don't sneak up on me! You scared me!" I shouted as he chuckled.

"But that takes away the fun!" he whined as I groaned,

"Why do you have to find my pain amusing?" All of a sudden the bell rang out, signalling us to our respective classes.

"See ya, Luce!" He yelled, at the door, waving his hand

"Shut up! What about you Mira? Who are you going with?!" she asked trying to change the subject.

"Well...um...STOP TRYING TO CHANGE THE TOPIC!" she yelled out, flustered. I began laughing inwardly at their animated reactions.

"What are you laughing at," Levy inquired as I doubled over with laughter.

"You guys look so hilarious when you're flustered!" I exclaimed through laughter.

"Just like you," a familiar voice spoke from behind me. I quickly turned around to find a wild Natsu with a smirk on his face. I felt my face heat up. I quickly turn away and cover it up by elbowing him with a bit of force behind it, but not enough to hurt him.

"Stop doing that! You scared me!" I exclaimed. I saw his face form into a pout,

"But that would take away all the fun," he whined.

"Why do you have to find my pain amusing?" I sighed, asking the question more to myself. Finally the world decided to end my misery and the bell rung.

"See ya Luce!" he yelled from the doorway of the cafeteria. I waved back to him, glancing back to Mira and Levy.

"Shoot, my teacher's gonna kill me!" Mira exclaimed, racing out the door, leaving me and Levy.

"Ready to go?" Levy asked.

"Yeah," I replied, but the reply barely made it out when a familiar white haired senior rushed up to me, panting,

"Lu-cy and Le-vy - make - sure - to - come - to -my - house - at - 6 -af-ter - school" she forced out between breaths. I nodded,

"Ok, and when you go to your next class, walk, your out of breath," I pushed as she nodded, walking back out the door.

"I swear you guys are crazy," I scoff, smiling.

"Yeah, but it sure makes thing more interesting," she retorted, "C'mon, let's go."

"Natsu, I'm heading out," I yelled out to the entire house from the main entrance, hoping that Natsu would hear me.

"OK!" I heard him reply. I quickly push the door out of the way, revealing the dark black sky, only illuminated by the full moon and the lampposts, which only occasional worked. It felt as though my footsteps were as loud a hammer banging on metal in the silence. _Winter seems to be taking over quick._ The wind whistled in the cool breeze, unable to penetrate my winter jacket. _At least I dressed right this time._ My eyes shot glances in other directions, hoping that I wasn't the only one here. In doing so, I saw the bottom of a windbound jacket sway in the wind, before laying down in the alley. Scratch that, I hoped that I was alone.

"Hello?" I called out into the darkness. _Idiot! It's not like the person who's hiding is just going to come out!_ My right arm placed itself on my left arm, tightening its grip. My eyes darted around the street, trying to look away from the alleyway, but eventually it became trivial, for my eyes rested squarely on the alleyway. I noticed the gleam of light reflecting of off something in there. I squinted my eyes trying to get a better look at the item. _Is that...a GUN?!_ I felt my breath become unsteady and my pulse pounding in my head. _Why does he have a gun? And why the hell is he coming closer?!_ I watched in fear as the silhouette shifted. I quickly blinked, rubbing my eyes. _No, that can't be real._ I opened my eyes, the reflection of the light gone. I sighed in relief, shooting the area glances as I continued walking down the street. The the midst of my distraction, felt a cool metal placed on my forehead. I looked for the beholder of the weapon to find a man dressed in a black cloak, his features disguised by the shadow of the cloak and the cover of night. _WHAT THE HELL!_ I shouted in my brain, but the words refused to form and stayed as mere thoughts. I stood still in shock as the man the black cloak spoke, his voice deep and dark,

"Lucy Heartfilia?"

 **(A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger! Also sorry that I haven't been keeping up with my posts, my friend kept begging me to write more on the Google Doc and I didn't have a second to post it. Seriously, the Doc's 30 pages and they haven't even kissed yet! BUT I HAVE IDEAS! FINALLY! My useless brain decided to work! Again, super sorry for the delay! Also HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Hope time with your family is AWESOME and if your having a Staycation, hope the fanfiction made you happy :) Anyway, BOII!)**


	11. Savior

"Lucy Heartfilia?" I shivered in my boots, terrified. _How the hell does this guy know my name? Be smart, don't be dumb._ I opened my mouth to speak, but words refused to materialize.

" _Lucy Heartfilia?"_ the voice asked again, much more force emulating from it. _Think, think, think. OK, if I tell him my name, he might shoot me because that's who he's looking for, but if say that's not my name he might shoot me for being a witness. Think, THINK!_ My eyes shot around looking for something that I could use to help me. I glanced down into his other hand, noticing a syringe. _Syringe, it's probably a sleeping inducing drug. That mean if he's looking for me, he might have been told to put me to sleep. I don't know how I'm gonna get out of this, but sleep's better than dieing._ I stood up straight, forcing myself to keep my composure. I took a deep breath in.

"Yes, what's it to you?" It took all of my strength to have the word sound loud enough from him to hear. I could almost feel him smiling from behind the cloak, as quickly pulled the gun back from my forehead, placing the syringe on my hip. He quickly pushed the top of the syringe in, producing a small, yet sharp pain in my side. _Thank god_. All of a sudden my muscles begin to relax. _I can't move._ My eyes slowly droop as my senses stop taking in information. The moment before my eyes are fully closed, I hear third parties footsteps. Then before I fall to the ground, I hear a voice.

"LUCY!" a familiar voice cries out. My body flops onto the ground but I'm to numb to feel anything.

My eyes are awakened by the bright unfamiliar feeling of light. My eyes are fuzzy for a few minutes, but after a few blinks I'm able to recognize surrounding area. _Home._ I push myself off of the comfortable brown couch so I'm sitting up and look around. Next to me I find a familiar pink haired friend, knelt by my bedside.

"Natsu...what happened?" I groan out in what's barely a whisper. He pushes my forehead down, and I compliant with his hands command, and begin rest my head of the pillow placed on the arm of the couch.

"Who was that?" he asks. _He didn't answer my question._

"I don't know," I answered lamely. He looked away from me, concentrating on something. "What happened," I push again. He sighs, finally listening to me.

 **Natsu's POV**

"LUCY!' I yelled as raced towards the man in the cloak. Her body fell onto the ground and the man in the cloak glanced over at me, and I could tell that under that cloak he was giving me a dirty look. I decided to return the favor.

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO HER!" I exclaimed as he scoffed,

"She's not dead, only asleep, however you will not have the same luxury," his voice was dark and coarse. I gritted my teeth and I rushed up to him, as he slowly lifted his gun. _This is worse the bringing a knife to a gunfight._ His finger closes on the trigger as I continue running up to him. BANG! I jerk myself over to the side, avoiding the bullet. Under the shield of his confusion, I race up to him, twisting his hand so that the gun is in my possession, pointing straight at his chin upward.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll leave now," I scoff as he laughs. My blood boiled in my veins. _I can't kill him._ I swiftly pulled the gun from his chin, shooting him in the foot. He winced in pain, reaching for his foot. I quickly point the gun out to him, and grab my phone from by pocket, calling the cops.

Never soon enough, they arrived, and I explained everything to them, and the man was taken into custody, but not before saying,

"He wants Lucy, he will have Lucy." I tried to ignore what he said and picked up Lucy and brought her back to her house.

 **Lucy's POV**

"Wow...how'd you know I was gone? And how long was I out?" I asked, tilting my head to the side in confusion. _He did that much for me._ He shrugged,

"Just a hunch, and you were out for a few hours," he explained. I shot straight up. _Mira and Levy! Oh no..._

"Pass me my phone," I ordered, eyeing my phone on the coffee table in front of the table. Natsu passed it to me, and I quickly fumbled around with it, trying to get to messages.

"I already told Mira and Levy," he stated plainly. Questions began forming in my head.

"How'd you get into my phone, there's a passcode, and how'd you know I was going to see them?" I questioned, nearly furious at the idea of him going through my phone. Though he did save from them thinking I ditched them.

"I saw you put it in when you were awake once, and they started texting you about five minutes after I had gotten you home." _Makes sense._

"Thanks Natsu," I smiled.

 **I felt a cold circle traced on my forehead and a syringe placed on my hip.** _ **Not again.**_ **I searched around the room for something to focus on, to direct my attention away from him, but my eyes eventually landed on the man in the cloak. I stared at him, trying to make out his features. All I could see was a familiar blond mustache shining in the light not shaded my his hood.** _ **Why does he feel familiar.**_

" **It's time Lucy, just a few more hours and it'll be time," the familiar voice was coarse.** _ **Wait, no.**_ **The hood fell off of his face revealing his wrinkled skin and blond hair.** _ **No, no, NO!**_

" **YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD!" I screamed. An evil grin tugged at the lips which eventually formed the creepiest of smiles. I stepped back when a forced tightened on my hip and forehead.**

" **Don't make any sudden movements," he commanded as he played with the trigger on the gun and lightly tapped the top of the syringe. I flinched and my eyes widened at the sight.** _ **He's in control of my life.**_ _**What do I do?**_ **Out of panic I kicked him, loosening the tight push of the gun and moving the sharp point of the needle away from my hip. "Wrong move, Lucy. Remember to say 'Hi' to Mommy for me," he grinned, all of his teeth showing. He quickly pushed down on the trigger and a loud bang sounded. Suddenly, my sight faded into black.**

I shot straight up out of bed, heavily breathing in and out.

"Luce, you OK?" I half awake Natsu asked from the couch diagonal of mine. I hesitantly nodded as he raised his eyebrow. "You sure?" he questioned again and again received the same answer, except this time the nod came faster. "Ok," he shrugged, placing his head back on the arm of the couch. I did the same. Again the voice spoke in my head, _**Only a few more hours.**_ I flinched a bit, searching the room of the beholder of the voice. Once I realized it was my imagination, I sighed, placing my head back down. "No problem, now rest, you need it."

 **(A/N: Nearly to the dance, but what the hell is that weird voice in her head? *Shrugs* WHY YOU LOOKIN' AT ME?! I DON'T KNOW EITHER! Or do I? *Bam bum BAM* Anyway, hope your day is going good, and if it's not then I hope I could cheer you up with this update! And if it doesn't cheer you up...well...I tried... CYA GUYS! BOI!)**


	12. Dance Prep

"Oh my God, guys, you didn't have to do this for me," I stared in awe at the dress Mira and Levy had bought for me in my absence. The dress looked as though it would reach a bit past my knees, made with a simple light blue cloth that, lined with an of white design at the bottom and below the neck was a lace-like white design which went all the way up to the neck. It was simple, yet perfect.

"We needed to get you _something_ ," Levy smiled warmly. I returned it. I glanced around, searching for something. Eventually, my eyes rested on them, confused.

"Where are your dresses?" I asked. Mira's eyes light up and she rushed out of the room, returning with two dresses in her arms. She placed them on the bed next to mine and I looked over the two. One was a light orange dress, the same color of Levy's headband, which I guessed went a bit past her knees with a simple strap around the waist and a line of frilly cloth going down the side. I guessed that one was Levy's. The one next to it was a pink strapless dress with had two layers, one simple and one lacey layer. The plain pink layer went down about to her knees, and the lacey layer went down a little further in the back. I assumed that was Mira's.

"OOOOh! They look pretty!" I exclaimed in awe. Mira and Levy both glanced at their respective dresses and looked back at me and in sync replied,

"They'll look better once they're on!"

I pushed the bathroom door out of my way, returning to the girls, who had gotten in their dresses. They both looked stunning! Like if I was a guy, I would totally date them. That came out wrong, didn't it. Eh, whatever. They both looked over to me acknowledging my existence and their eyes widened.

"You guys look awesome!" I declared, smiling. There eyes were still wide, their expression remained unchanged. I frowned a bit, worried, "Is is bad...?" The both flinched, waving their hands in front of their face in distress.

"SORRY LUCY! WE JUST ZONED OUT BECAUSE OF HOW PRETTY THE DRESS LOOKS ON YOU!" I laughed. Normally, if someone said that, I wouldn't believe them, but the way they said it was so genuine that I blushed.

"Thanks guys, your dresses' look amazing too!" I smiled, and they returned it.

"Thanks Lu!"

"Yeah, thanks! We need to get _you and Levy_ ready for your DATES!" she nearly squealed. _Date_ , I don't like that word. Meh. Levy blushed heavily as I just sighed. She pushed us over to a chair, and Levy sat first and Mira did her makeup and all that other girly stuff. I didn't pay much attention 'till the end, when Levy stepped down from the chair. She didn't have much makeup up, light concealer, eyeliner, maybe some eyeshadow, but that was it. But such little improvements turned her from cute to stunning.

"Levy! You look amazing!" I exclaimed as she blushed. "I bet Gajeel will like it," I teased, elbowing her. Her blush intensified and she turned as red as a tomato. Like a ripe tomato. She faced down, trying to hid it, but to no avail.

"Wait!" Mira shouted, rushing in and out of the room, coming back with a orange headband with a similar color to Levy's current one. She removed the one Levy currently had on her head and replaced it with the new headband, which in the light you could see had small see through crystals that made it appear sparkly. "DONE!" Mira exclaimed proudly, a triumphant smile plastered across her face. He gaze shifted over to me and she smiled warmly.

"Your turn!" she squealed. I opened my mouth, and argument forming in my throat, but it immediately silenced itself and I obediently climbed onto the chair. "Now close your eyes," she ordered and I listened. I feel like Mira was the kind of person who was nice, but the moment your crossed her she'd go all crazy.

After a long dark thirty minutes I was finally ordered to open my eyes. A world of light and color awakened as a blurry image of a mirror appeared in front of me. Soon enough it focused itself revealing my face in the mirror. Luckily Mira didn't go crazy with the makeup, light eyeliner, concealer, foundation, slight blush. (Sorry I don't get makeup). But those little improvements, just as it did with Levy, made me feel even more confident with my looks. I gasped, holding my hands over my mouth, surprised that it was _my_ face that I was looking at.

"MIRA! I LOOK PRETTY?!" I nearly questioned. I glanced back at her and she was giving me her signature smile.

"Yeah, you're beautiful," she complimented. Levy nodded, and then a mischievous smirk played onto her face. _Oh no..._

"I bet _Natsu_ will like it~" she cooed, mocking me. I sighed, my face growing warmer.

"WAIT LUCY! I think I might have put on to much blush!" she exclaimed , holding my shoulders down to the chair. _Am I really blushing that hard?_ I pushed her arms of of my shoulder, and stated,

"No, it's perfect, thanks," I assured her. She smiled and just as she was about to say something, Levy's voice rang out,

"Your turn!" Levy pushed Mira in the face. Mira had a questioned look on his face, I could almost read her thoughts.

"Do we even know _anything_ about makeup?" I questioned, though it was a bit harsher than I expected. But Levy didn't seem to care. In fact she let out a small laugh,

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Mira nodded and began doing her makeup for herself.

 **I'm bored and just wanted to get to the good stuff**

Just as Mira was about done with her makeup, the doorbell rang out. Lucy felt her heartbeat increase tenfold. _Crap! Why am I so nervous!_ I took a deep breath in as Mira rushed to the door. _Welp, here goes nothing!_

 **(Sorry to cut you guys off, I felt the need for a cliffhanger! Sooooo Yeah! Please don't kill me! If you do the next chapter will** ** _never_** **come out! That's scary to think about, I have to much fun writing this. Also heads up, I may or may not be starting a NaLu One Shot book soon, but I'll try to divide my attention so I can get you guys updates! So YEAH! Anyway, hope I could make your day better! SMILE :) )**


	13. Walk!

Levy rushed behind Mira, and I just nervously followed. We reached the front door and Mira rushed to open it, but to me, it felt like everything was going 1,000 times slower. She pushed the dial on the doorknob clockwise, unlocking the door, then slowly placing her hand on the doorknob, twisting it to the left and pulling it towards her. Once the door was opened, it revealed three boys, all of which I had seen at Natsu's practice. The first one I recognized was obviously Natsu, to the right of him a guy with long black hair and piercings lining his eyebrows and nose. _Gajeel._ Then to the left of Natsu was a guy with blond hair and a scar in the form of a lightning bolt near his eye. All of them were dressed very different. **(A/N: No idea was dudes wear to dances :P)**. Gajeel had a suit on while the blond guy had a dress shirt a tie and dress pants, and Natsu wore the same except without a tie and with a leather jacket placed over him. _Suits him._ Natsu's eyes finally met mine and his eyes widened. _Crap! Did I screw something up already?!_ I immediately broke the stare, shooting glances anywhere but him, but my eyes didn't want to cooperate. I glanced at Levy and she was blushing like crazy. _I can't wait to tease her about this later!_ All of a sudden a hand pushed against my back, throwing me out the door, basically landing on Natsu. I looked up at him to see his face was blank. _How is he so calm about this?_ I then looked around to find the same thing had happened to Levy and Gajeel. _That means._ I shot daggers at Mira with my eyes, as she just smiled warmly,

"Go on! You guys are being too quiet!" I looked back up at Natsu to see that he was looking down at me, smiling his signature toothy grin.

"C'mon Luce! Let's go!" he cheered, grabbing my arm, and pulling me down the stairs. I started blushing harder as he pulled me down the sidewalk. _Wait, the sidewalk?_

"Natsu, are we walking to the school?" I questioned. I have no idea how far School is from Mira's house.

"Of course!" he looked at me as if the answer was the most obvious in the entire world.

"How far is the school from here?" I asked again. All of a sudden his look changed to a nervousness, slowing his pace and releasing my hand.

"Ummmm, 30 minutes walking," he answered, scratching the back of his neck with his free hand. My eyes widened in shock at the time he had stated.

"Natsu! It'll take us _forever_ to get there, why can't we just take a car?" I pushed, annoyed at his stupidity. He shrugged,

"Cause I have terrible motion sickness. And can we please stop mentioning the word car," his face began to turn green as his cheeks puffed up.

"Your puking just _thinking_ about it?" I tried to act annoyed, but I couldn't stop myself from giggling.

"Hey! Don't make fun of my pain!" I doubled over with laughter. He crossed his arms over his chest. My laughter slowly began to die down as he gave me a sort of death stare.

"C'mon, let's start walking," I offered and he nodded.

Outside it was near sunset, the colors of rainbow painting themselves over the once blue horizon in red and orange. We had only been walking for about 15 minutes, but walking 15 minutes in what I swear to be the most uncomfortable pair of heels to _ever_ exist. And they were barely a 1/2 an inch tall. I've never really worn a dress of heals, except for the occasional parties my family held when I was younger...let's not talk about that. _I swear I'm gonna take these off._ I stop in my track and begin to pull off the heels when I feel something warm on my leg and back pull my of the ground. I flinch a bit when my body is pulled off the pavement and my eyes are met with a pair of slanted eyes. I jump up a bit, flustered.

"W-why!" I stutter out, nearly yelling towards the end. A smirk played onto his lips,

"You looked tired," he explained, his grin widening. My face grew bright red and my cheeks warmed up. _Crap, I'm blushing._ I flailed my arms around, which were formed into fists and yelled,

"Put me down!"

"Sheesh," he breathed, still smirking. He placed my feet back on the ground, my feet starting to ache again. _Maybe I should've let him carry me..._ "Are you sure you're OK?" he asked. He must have noticed my pain.

"Yeah I'm fine," I forced out.

"Here, get on my back," he offered, gesturing behind him. I blushed and compliantly walked behind him, draping my hands around his neck, jumping up so he could his hands around my legs. **(A/N: Piggyback)** I blushed harder and thankfully he couldn't see. I rested my head on his shoulder as he continued walking. I wanted to sleep so badly, but then I would be all groggy once we reached the dance. _Nope! Sleep is for the weak!_ I let out a small inward laugh at my thoughts, my eyes slowly beginning to droop downward.

 **(A/N: Added in more fluff so that this seems less like a filler. Sorry for the wait, I was having terrible writer's block when a friend of mine gave me a small fluffy idea! BYE BYE WRITERS BLOCK, SEE YOU NEXT TIME I FINISH A MAJOR PLOT POINT! Anyways, I'd like to thank all of you for the support I've been getting for this book-fanfiction-thingy, seriously, you guys are AWESOME! See you guys in a few days, or maybe a week or so. Depends really. Though I'll try my best to bring it to you as soon as I can! Hope I could make you smile! BOIIIII)**


	14. Awkward

Remember how I said, 'Sleep is for the weak'? Yeah, umm, I _might_ have taken a _small_ nap while piggybacking on Natsu. And maybe by maybe I mean yes. The moment I awoke from it I pulled out my phone and made sure I didn't smudge and of the makeup Mira had applied. Then I felt a warm hand on my own. I jumped up. _Shouldn't I be used to this already? Natsu._ He pulled down the hand that I was holding up that held my phone.

"You look beautiful," he complimented, his voice soft and gentle. I blush madly and let out a small, "Meep!".

"And adorable," he chuckled softly as my blushed deepened until my face was that of a tomato. I hid my face behind his back. I pushed my phone into the purse Mira lent to me, having a new found confidence for my looks. "We're here" Natsu stated plainly, lowering his hands so that my feet fell towards the ground, I released my hands and allowed them to fall with my legs onto the concrete. I stared at the school in the distance as loud noise was muffled by the walls. That 'new found confidence' that I had just gain immediately died of fright. _New found confidence my foot! I'm terrified! Everyone in there still knows you as the whore b*tch slut that didn't talk to anyone! Why the hell did I decide to do this?!_

"Lucy," his voice disrupted the debate going on in my brain. I looked over to him, his emotions unreadable. I nodded, a bit scared of what was to come. You would too if your life was filled with screw ups. "Gimme a high five." I was taken aback from his simple request. _Why?_ "Don't question it, just do it," his voice was still gentle but remained stern. He held his hand up in front of me, and I placed my hand of his with no force behind it. The moment it landed there he pulled his fingers down into the empty slots in between each of my fingers. He lowered _He's...holding my hand?!_ My fingers bent a little, not fully intertwined with his. _WHAT THE HELL DO I DO?! CRAAAAAAAAAAAP!_ _I'M SO AWKWARD WHEN IT COMES TO THIS STUFF!_ I've never been on a date, or held hands with a person of the opposite sex or had my first kiss, hell, I think Natsu's the first person to make me blush.

"Lucy?" I once again awoke from my thoughts, his voice startling me, "Are you OK? You look like you've seen a ghost," he commented. _Crap, crap, crap, crap, CRAP!_ I turned my head down so he couldn't see my face,

"I-I'm fine!" I assured him.

"Good, now let's go," my head shot up.

"Ummm...I'm really tired actually, maybe we should go back," I offered, my voice quick.

"But you just spent the last 15 minutes sleeping on my back, also your house it 15 minutes away so it would be pointless," he explained matter-of-factly. I darted my eyes around, hoping that somewhere I would find an excuse. Finally I sighed in defeat,

" _Fine,_ let's go."

Inside the music was _extremely_ loud, though I couldn't quite pinpoint the song. Everyone was dancing, and it the crowd of people I recognized a few people, not the people I wanted to recognize. Throughout the commotion I was searching for three faces, Juvia, Mira and Levy. And in the crowd I spotted a messy head of blue hair. I wanted to run over, but then I noticed another figure beside her. _Gajeel._ My giggled evilly as I watched the two stand side by side. Then a voice caught my attention,

"Wow Flamehead, I'm surprised you even got a date," the voice snickered. _Flamehead?_

"Oh shut it Elsa," Natsu's voice responded. I turned around to find Gray and Natsu head to head looking like they were about to kill each other, each with their own dark aura. Then a girl with red hair who looked really familiar pulled their two heads apart with an equally scary look on her face, if not more scary.

"Could you two just get along?!" she yelled, but it was barely heard over the booming music. _Oh right, that's Erza..._

"So Erza where's your date?" I asked, eagerly, even though I shouldn't care.

"He's right here," she gestured beside her, but no one was there.

"I think she's crazy," Natsu whispered as Gray nodded. A vein looked like it was about to pop right out of her forehead as she looked beside her to find no one standing there.

"Where'd he go? JELLAL!" she called out getting lost in the crowd. _Well that was awkward..._ Then a voice from the crowded boomed towards us,

"GRAY SAMA~" _Oh no..._

"Crap! You guys gotta hide me!" Gray urged as Natsu grinned evilly. _I'm inclined to watch._ Then Natsu called out,

"YEAH JUVIA! GRAY'S OVER HERE WITH LUCY AND I!" Gray shot Natsu a dirty look while he laughed maniacally.

"GRAY SAMA'S WITH LOVE RIVAL!" She screamed, popping out from the crowd towards us, "YOU CAN NEVER HAVE MY GRAY SAMA!" I stepped back,

"I never wanted him in the first place..." I sighed.

All of a sudden, she ran up to Gray S- _Gray_ (I swear this Juvia stuff is contagious...) and bear hugged the life out of him. While entrapped in this bear hug he breathed the words, 'Help me' I giggled as Natsu stuck his tongue out at him. Suddenly I felt warmth on my hand. My head cocked upwards. _Do I even have to look?_ The hand pulled me forward into a warm chest. I breathed in heavily as my cheeks warmed up. I pulled myself out coming eye to eye with Natsu (well not really considering I'm like three inches shorter than him...).

"Are you OK? You look pale," he commented. _I do feel lightheaded._

"I-I'm fine, just gonna get some fresh air, be right back," I explained, walking towards the entrance.

The cool air swept against my skin. It was already dark outside, the lights from the school being the only thing that illuminated the area. I inhaled a deep breath when and arm wrapped around me and a cool surface placed on my hip. I flinched,

"Natsu, that isn't funny." No response. "Natsu seriously..." my voice was a bit more nervous and rushed, occasionally squeaking. _Wait, the hand that's wrapped around me...it's cold...that's not Natsu..._ I flinched again, wanting to do something, but my body was still in shock.

"Goodnight Darling," suddenly all of my energy was sucked out of my body, my purse falling to the ground beside me. My eyes grew tired, lowering themselves until everything was black. My thoughts stolen from my brain, all pointing to an endless abyss of darkness. _No, this is how people die. I have to think. Think..._

 **(A/N: A a little cliffy, I'm sorry, I just HAD to! Anyway, hope you liked this, sorry for taking a while to post. ALSO right about now is when I need some major ideas for plot...I suck with plot... I'll see you guys LATER, BOIIII)**


	15. Dad AKA He-who-shall-not-be-named

Suddenly light returns slowly to my eyes, but not in the slow way that people normally wake up. My eyes shoot open as quick as a bullet being fired from a gun. In front of me I found a sight that I never thought I would ever see again. What used to be blond hair was now threaded with gray, silvery hairs.

"Dad," I scoffed. A twisted grin folded onto his face.

"Sweetie that's no way to talk to your father," his eyes filled with a weird craze. _I'll talk to you however I want to._ I looked around, finding my body placed on a chair, my feet tied to the legs of the chair and my hands forced together by a rope. I struggled for a few seconds until I realized it was futile. Then my mind wandered to other thoughts. Of _him._

" _Daddy! Look what I made," a younger version of me squealed to my dad, holding up a rice ball with a smiley face for him to see._

" _Lucy! Stop bothering me, I have work to do, why don't you go to your room?" he scolded._

" _But Daddy-" I was cut off my his stern voice,_

" _LUCY!" I nodded, my eyes getting blurry. I rushed out of the room, slamming the door behind me. I ran down the corridor, tears flooding down my cheeks._

" _But it's my birthday!"_

My mind flashed to a different picture, a memory I tried to bury away forever. My mom and dad on the ground, blood pouring from their heads. _How is he alive?_ I returned to my-, the man, his grin still wicked as ever.

"What the hell do you want?!" I spoke, anger piercing through my words. I could tell that he wanted to make another remark about my language so I scoffed, "Skip the crap." His grin lessened.

"Oh darling, aren't you happy-"

"I told you to skip the crap!" my voice was more stern. He scoffed,

"I'm here to take revenge," his voice was coarse and dead. His eyes, they were a deep black, and there was no life in them. Almost as though whatever he was had died a long time ago.

"For what?" I asked and it sounded as though I was talking back to one of my parents. Or I was talking back to one of my parents.

"For living."

"Sorry, but isn't that your fault?"

"Why do you have to look exactly like her?" he asked, the question directed more to himself rather than me.

"What, like the person you killed?" my voice grew bitter.

"Yes!"

"I didn't ask you to come back into my life, you just _decided_ to barge right in!" I yelled.

"Stop acting so rude! I raised you better! It's probably all that boy's fault," he scoffed. _Natsu?_

"How the hell do you know about him?! Have you been...stalking me?" His smiled grew indefinitely, his orbs growing smaller and more insane like. His head nodded vigorously,

"Why the _hell_ are you talking to _him_?! He's such an idiot..." I was taken aback, my teeth gritting.

"I'm sorry, but that 'idiot' saved my life!" I yelled.a

"Yeah, I know, the idiot's crazy," he scoffed, "But now..." He pulled a gun out from behind him, holding it right against my forehead, the cool metal making me jump. "...he can't save you."

 **(A/N: OOOoooOOOO CLIFFY! Y'all probably hate me right now, I kinda hate me for doing this to you guys but meh. Hope you enjoyed it, and if you didn't tell me how much you hate me for leaving you like this in the reviews (** ** _ITS BECAUSE I HAVE NO IDEAS FOR THIS ONE PART AND I WAS LIKE "MAN I'D BE TOTALLY COOL TO POST THE SOLUTION WITH THE CLIFFY STUFF BUT THEN MY BRAIN WAS LIKE, 'ME NO HAVE IDEAS!' AND I WAS LIKE "OH NOES I NEED TO PUT UP SOMETHING" AND IT WAS ALL LIKE 'Put up a cliff hanger' and I was like "ARGGGGGG FINE!")_** **So yeah, sorry for the cliffy ending and short chapter, I love you guys and all your support. I'm actually considering doing a Gruvia Jerza Zervis Gale Omake at the dance, so yeah, if you guys want that then TELL MEH! CYA! BOIII!)**


	16. The Idiot that Saved Her Life

"But now..." He pulled a gun out from behind him, holding it right against my forehead, the cool metal making me jump. "...he can't save you," he grinned further, showing off his fang-like teeth. _Right now I'm facing death, and there's no way around it..._ I tightened my eyes shut, preparing myself for the impact of the bullet. I waited. _Where is it?_ I opened my eyes to find my father with a shocked look on his face, a few paces back from where he was originally in, the gun that he was originally holding being forced upwards towards the bottom of his chin by I lightly tanned hand.

"Looks like this 'idiot' proved you wrong!" he yelled, anger flooding each word he spoke. He pushed the gun harder against his throat. The gun that was once held stable trembled a bit. I looked to see the cause. A hand. I hand was placed on it trying to shift its position. The hand belonging to _him._ I watched as the gun cocked to the right, where Natsu's head was.

"NATSU!" Then a gunshot. And he was dead. He was finally dead. The blond figure known as my father laid lifeless on the floor. Natsu dropped the gun, shocked, and glanced over at me. _Why do I feel like I'm going to cry. I hate him._ But he's still my dad.

"I'm sorry Lu-" I ran up to him, silencing him with a hug, tears dripping down my face.

"Thank you, I don't know what I would've done if he had hurt you," I gripped his shirt, not wanting to think about the possibility. Not wanting to let go.

"Sorry I was late," he tried to keep his voice happy.

"It's fine, I knew you'd come," I tried to convey a smile through my voice.

"Do you wanna go back to the dance?" he asked. I shook my head,

"I'm tired, let's go home," I said, lazily, a yawn soon following. I could almost feel his warm smile,

"That's not fair," he said playfully, "I carried you last time!" I giggled,

"Sooooo?" I asked.

"You make a very valid point," he chuckled, probably noticing how droopy my eyes were, "Let's go."

 **Well here I am. In my dream. Man, it's quiet without him.** _ **Want me to come back?**_ **His sinister voice asked.**

" **NOPE!" I yelled suddenly.** _ **My dream, it feels more peaceful. Maybe I can sleep finally.**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **I wonder, how did he live. CRAP I JINXED IT!**_ **Suddenly an image of their death appeared in my mind. But this time I noticed my dad's eye was opened slightly.** _ **So he was alive?!**_ **I looked over at his head.** _ **No bullet wound. How did I not notice this? Then where is the blood coming from.**_ **I searched his body, finding an answer near his arm. There was the bullet wound that had blood seeping through it. Suddenly a voice pierced through my thoughts.**

" **Luce."**

 **(A/N: Sorry for the short chapter, I just** ** _had_** **to write this part as a separate chapter, but never fear, cuz for once I DON'T HAVE WRITERS BLOCK *cheers*, so I'll see you when the next chapter comes out, BOIIIII)**


	17. Happy

**A/N: I know my last chapter was short, so now I have a longer one for you guys! Hope you like it!**

"Luce~. Luuuuuuce~. Wake up!" My eyes fluttered, arriving at the sight of a certain pink-haired boy beside me.

"Mmmmm...what time is it?" I moaned through a yawn.

"11 o'clock," he replied casually. My head shot up and I looked at him. _He's not even ready for school!_

"WHY DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME UP?! AND WHY AREN'T YOU READY?!" I yelled.

"Chill! It's the weekend!" he informed while I gave him this death stare. I plopped my head back onto the pillow, returning to my slumber. " _Lucy_!" he said sternly. I pulled the pillow over my ears and mumbled,

"Never wake me up on a weekend again."

"Awww, c'mon Luce! Let's do something!" he urged. I pushed the pillow back down and sighed,

"Like what?" Then silence for a moment, until finally he spoke,

"I'm still new around here, why don't you show me around," he stated casually. _Like a date?!_ I jumped a bit, pulling the covers over my face to hide the fact that my face was tinted pink.

"O-Ok...can I sleep now?" I yawned, placing my head onto the pillow again until two warm arms began shaking me again. I gave him this sort of death stare when he gave me puppy dog eyes. _Nope, nope, nope, I wanna sleep._

"Lucy, please get up? I'm bored. Let's do something," Natsu pleaded. I said nothing but pretended to snore softly. I heard a sigh. "Fine, I guess I'll just join you." My body stiffened. _What?_ I felt the bed lean, and something warm touched my side.

"EEEEEKKK! Natsu, what the hell?" I exclaimed, jumping off the bed.

Natsu got up and smirked at me. "Oh good, you're up now! Go get dressed, we're going somewhere. I rolled my eyes at him but reluctantly got my clothes out of my closet and went to the bathroom.

I walked into the kitchen, searching for Natsu, in a gray tank top and jeans, topped with my black hoodie. A tuft of pink hair caught my eye, finding him scavenging through the pantry for something to eat.

"Hey Natsu," I greeted, earning his attention, "You ready to go?" He turned over to me, with a confused look on his face,

"Are you gonna eat?" he asked. I shook my head. He continued rummaging through the cabinet until he finally pulled out a bag of chips. "This'll do for now, let's go," he said, opening the bag. I nodded, leading us outside.

"Why are we at a pet store?" Natsu asked as he threw away his chip packet. I pushed the door of the pet store, a small ding heard. The heater on the inside warmed me up quick.

"Just wanted to check something out," I stated dryly, not facing him. I speed walked through the story, searching for a familiar face. Finally my eyes landed on a cat, sighing with relief. The cat were both slightly odd looking, the cat having blue fur.

"Still want him?" a sweet voice from the other side of the counter spoke. I looked over, noticing a familiar girl who kept her hat over her face for some reason. Her silvery hair caught my attention. "You haven't come in such a long time, I thought maybe you didn't want them anymore," her voice was just too familiar. I had seen her almost every week, up until the last two month, when I had... considered _it._ But now, something felt different about her. I nodded hesitantly when a voice spoke from behind me,

"You smell familiar." Natsu moved closer to her, probably frightening the poor girl. She was lucky that I was able to pull him back. She for some reason, sighed in relief, pulling her hat lower. Then, suddenly it hit me. _Silvery hair!_

"Lisanna?" I asked, searching for her _gorgeous_ blue eyes. She pulled her hands up, waving frantically,

"No, you've mistaken me for someone else!" I kept staring at her with a look that screamed 'I know your Lisanna'. She exhaled in defeat, "Fine, you caught me, I'm so sorry Lucy." I kept staring at her, and now Natsu was giving her this suspicious death glare. She continued, pulling up her hat, "I really sorry for what I did to you," she looked as though she was on the verge of tears. "Just give me a chance to explain," my look still challenged her,

"Talk," I stated sternly. I really didn't want to act to cold to her, it's just that, she had been bullying me for the past 5 months (excluding break). It was really hard to trust someone who had hurt you for so long. She gulped, then continued,

"I'm really sorry for bullying you, it wasn't right. It's just that," her eyes became glassy, "Before you moved her, those same people who I talk to would bully me, and-," she inhaled sharply, "-and I really hated it so much, I would go home after school and cry my eyes out," her lip began to quiver, "B-but then you came, and you were just so quiet. Then I thought if I made fun of you that they would stop making fun of me. So I did and-," she pulled her hands up to her face and started to cry, "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Then, all of a sudden, I pulled her in for a hug, her tears staining my hoodie, as I rubbed her back.

"It's OK, I forgive you, but can you just do me a favor?" I asked, my voice gentle. She pulled away, her eyes red, a weak smile plastered over her face,

"Of course! Anything!"

"Don't hang out with them anymore, come talk with me," I offered, grinning brightly. Her smile strengthened, but at the same time she looked as though she was about to cry,

"Definitely," she stated, "So anyway, do you wanna buy him?" she asked, still pushing away the tears in her eyes. I shrugged, pushing my hands into my pockets,

"I would if I had enough money." I had been eyeing the cat for as long as I could remember, but I never had enough to buy him.

"How much?" the voice besides me asked. I looked to find Natsu the one who was talking. Lisanna look a bit startled, then responded,

"Since he's been here for so long, he's about 50 dollars, and cat food plus a bed is going to be another 25, and then you'd want a toy which would probably be around 2 dollars...so in total it would be...77 dollars," she finished as Natsu began rummaging through his wallet. I grabbed his hand, stopping his for a second,

"Are you really about to buy a cat for me?" I asked.

"Well of course!" he said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. I glanced over at Lisanna who looked at Natsu for a bit, who had continued searching through his wallet, then at me, then at the both of us, smiling ear to ear. It warmed my heart to see her like this, though I hardly understood why she was smiling. Whatever. "Shit, I only have 40 dollars!" Natsu exclaimed, pulling out two 20s and placing them on the table. I pulled out my wallet, finding a 15 dollar bill and placing it on the counter next to his two 20 dollar bills.

"We're still 12 dollars short," I sighed. "It's fine, maybe some othe-" a sweet voice cut me off,

"Wait! I have 12 dollars right here!" she said, pulling out a ten and two singles and placing it down.

"No! I couldn't take your money!" I exclaimed, pushing the money back into her hand.

"It's fine, consider it payment for all that time that I bullied you, though I doubt it's enough. It's the least a can do," she offered. I was about to protest when she stopped me, "Please! Just take this! I wouldn't be able to bear it if I didn't give you this." I pulled my hand away from hers, allowing her to place the money down.

We ended up walking out with the blue furred cat, a bed, a toy and a ton of fish.

"I still can't believe you bought me a cat just now," I said, pulling the blue kitten closer to my stomach as he pulled his head against it, purring.

"Eh, it wasn't that big a deal," he shrugged, "Now what are you gonna name him?" he asked eagerly. I looked at the cat for a second, and it looked as though he was smiling. I let out a small laugh.

"I think I'm gonna name him Happy." He looked at me, confusion spilling through his features,

"That's a weird name." I glanced at him, then at the blue cat,

"I like it."

 **(A/N I did it! Happy's in the story now! I really love the original Team Natsu, cuz they're just ADORABLE! Also, Lisanna's not evil! YaY! Sorry, I just hate having her be the villain in most stories, cuz she really is a sweet adorable lil thing, and to have her be the villain in the story felt extremely OOC, not to offend anyone who has her as a villain! Anyway, hope you liked the chapter! BOIII)**


	18. Snowball Fight!

The bright shine of light awakened me from my dreamless slumber. A long awaited dreamless sleep. I pulled myself out from underneath the covers, noticing a blue figure pushing his paws against the foggy window right beside my bed. I rubbed my eyes, moaning,

"Hey Happy, whatcha looking at?" Outside. Snow covered the grass like a giant white blanket. "SNOW!" I yelled, pulling on a shirt and leggings before racing out of the room. _Where the hell is Natsu?!_ I ran into the living room to find Natsu sleeping on the couch. "NATSU! WAKE UP!" He turned, groaned for a minute, then he sat up, rubbing his eyes,

"Lucy, what happened?"

"LOOK OUTSIDE!" I pointed towards the window. He glanced over, looked back at me for a second, then looked at the window, eyes wide.

"It's snowing?" I nodded, grabbing his hand.

"C'mon! Let's go!" I yelled as I pulled him up from the couch, then ran towards the front door.

"Lucy! You're not wearing a jacket! You're gonna get cold!"

I stuck my tongue out at him while running to the door, "SHUT UP, _DAD!_ " I pulled on my snow boots and a pair of gloves. Once finished with the tedious project, I marched outside, embracing for the cold. My eyes widened at the entrancing seem. Snow was piled four inches high, the tops shimmered in the sunlight, looking as though someone had tossed white glitter all over neighborhood. Wind was visible for once, sweeping any stray object off of the perfectly made blanket. But, as with any other blanket, someone has to come in and mess it up, but at the same time, create their own work of art. _SNOWMAN!_ I hear footsteps pace behind me, the stop once behind me. I turned around to face him, pulling my arms down by my sides. "Natsu!" I paused for a second, smirking, "DO YOU WANNA BUILD A SNOWMAAN~" I sang out, totally off key, but I didn't care.

He smiled, the groaned, playfully, "Now that you sang that, I don't wanna," he folded his arms over his chest.

I pouted, "C'mon! What do you have against Frozen?"

He looked away from me, "Reminds me to much of Ice Brains. The only character who was remotely cool was Olaf," he sighed.

"AND OLAF WAS A SNOWMAN! SO LET'S BUILD A SNOWMAN!" I forced my voice to go down low like in the movie, "It doesn't have to be a snowmaan~"

"Nope, I can't now that you brought up Frozen."

"Please~"

He looked at me for a second, then looked away, a weaker look on his face, "Nope."

"C'mon, stop being so _cold_ ," I giggled at my _totally hilarious pun_ , but Natsu just had on a face of more regret.

"Stop, Lucy."

"Seriously you just have to ' _Let it go'_!" I giggled a bit more. I am _so_ funny.

"Lucy, please."

"I'm not stop until you come build a snowman with me! Come before all the snow... _melts.._!"

" _Fiiine_. But first," he pulled of his red hoodie and handed it to me. I touched the fabric the looked at him,

"You sure you're not going to be cold?" I asked.

He nodded, "I'll be fine." He pulled the hoodie around me, and I slowly pushed my hands into the sleeves, immediately filled with warmth. I smiled at him, then grabbed his hand, dragging him down the porch step, down to the winter wonderland. I pulled a pile of snow into my hands, starting to put together the base of the snowman when a snowy projectile was launched towards me at full speed. I looked over in the direction where the snowball came from, noticing a tuft of pink hair. Natsu smiled at me with a challenging look. I glanced down at my prematurely formed snowball, with only one plan in mind. _You are going DOWN!_ I catapulted the snowball towards an unsuspecting Natsu watching it travel across the front yard until it splattered upon impact. He shot daggers at me with his eyes. I giggled quickly running to find shelter, clutching onto the warm jacket that Natsu had given me. Not finding any natural shelter, I make a huge pile of snow, patting it down to make a decent cover.

After that task was completed, I took whatever little snow was beside me and formed snowballs with them. I glanced over to the other side of the backyard, finding Natsu nowhere in sight. _Where is he?_ I held a snowball upI scanned the area, finding Natsu's pink hair nowhere in sight.

"I wonder, how long is it going to take before you decide to look behind you?" I quickly turned behind me, facing the one I had been looking for this entire time. Before I could do anything, he placed his hand over my mouth, silencing me, "Can we call it a truce for now, there's a bigger enemy we have deal with," he whispered, gesturing towards the sidewalk, where an unsuspecting Gray walked. I smirk as we both gathered two snowballs and sneaked behind Gray.

"Ready...NOW!" On command the both of us launched our snowballs, which all landed squarely on his back. He quickly turned around to find us, me giggling and Natsu smirking.

"I'm gonna-!" Gray started to chase after the two of us, grabbing some snow along the way.

"Run, Lucy!" Natsu yelled while running away from Gray, grabbing my arm in the process. I started to run when I heard a familiar voice behind us,

"NATSU! GRAY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW?!" a certain red head scolded, but right after Gray threw the snowball that had been originally ment for us at Erza.

Afterwards, Gray looked terrified, then tried to explain, "It's a snowball fight!" Her expression relaxed itself as she pulled a big mound of snow from the ground, flattened it and then tossed it at Gray.

"HEY!"

"It's a snowball fight," she explained, "NOW YOU TWO BETTER GET READY," she yelled over at us.

"Shit," Natsu said under his voice before pulling me farther away from them. Then I noticed Lisanna and Mira walking down the sidewalk. Erza approached them to try to inform about the snowball fight, but the conversation was cut short by me and Natsu's snowballs landing on all three of them. Immediately after, Natsu shouted, "SNOWBALL FIGHT!" then grabbed my hand, immediately sheltering the two of us behind the house.

Sometime in the midst of the snowball fighting Juvia saw Gray and started chasing him, not even knowing that we were having a snowball fight. Gajeel and Levy saw us having a snowball fight, shrugged then ran into the midst of the mess. And Jellal...where did Jellal come from? And where did he go? Anyway, there were some undecided teams that were formed. Jellal and Erza, Gajeel and Levy, Mira and Lisanna, Me and Natsu and Juvia kinda forcing Gray to stay by her side while he runs away screaming.

"If you get hit by a snowball you're out! Last team standing wins!" Natsu yelled out, and a chorus of "Yes"s chimed out in an out of key harmony.

Once the whole ordeal had some rules, everyone was ready, except for Gray, who was still being chased by Juvia. Natsu quickly signalled me to come farther behind the house.

"Let's go for Ice Prick first," he offered.

"Why?" I asked.

"'Cause I need to get him out of the game as fast as I can. It hurts my eyes to see his face," Natsu explained as I face palmed.

"I thought maybe you would be smart enough to consider that he would be the easiest to get out because he's running away from Juvia, I'm sorry, that was me putting too much faith in you," I sighed.

"Uhh, yeah, that too." As if on cue, Gray raced passed the two us, but not before getting a snowball to his head. He looked over in the direction that the snowball came in, finding Natsu with a smug look on his face.

"HEY! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO AIM FOR THE HEAD?!" Gray asked, wiping all the excess snow from his hair. His question remained with no answer, as the two of us had run to the side of the house, waiting. Well I had decided to wait, but Natsu kinda just ran to the front of the house, throwing snowballs at everyone he saw. _Juvia's probably going to come around here looking for Gray._ As if on cue, a certain bluenette ran through the snow, her arms wide open, ready to encase Gray in a tight bear hug. But right before she could wrap her arms around an unsuspecting Gray, a snowball crashed against her signature blue dress. She, imperturbed by the snowball being chucked at her, continued to run towards Gray, but the sound of the snowball when it hit Juvia had given him a subtle warning, and he continued to run away from her.

I giggled a bit before moving to the front of the house, trying to find Natsu in the storm of snowballs. I found him running away right before a snowball exploded after landing on his shirt.

"SHIT!" he yelled before flopping onto the ground dramatically as if he were just shot with a bullet. I ran over to him, playing along with this charade, looming over his 'dead' body, fake crying. Then, out of nowhere a female voice shouted,

"YOU HAVE TO KISS HIM!" my head jerked into the direction of the voice, along with everyone else, even Gray and Juvia, who had stopped chasing each other for those five small words. Silence. Though it was probably only a second or two, to me it felt like a year. And it didn't feel truly like silence. Silence was calm and peaceful, while this anxiety inducing. My mind going a mile a minute with thoughts...not ment to be produced anywhere.

Eventually the earsplitting stillness was broken by 'dead' Natsu not being able to be dead, "Huh?" his tone was unreadable, or maybe it was that I didn't truly care about what he had said. Suddenly all I could think about was kissing.

Luckily it was short lived, Mira responding eagerly, "Y'know like in Sleeping Beauty!"

"You mean _I_ have to be a _princess?!_ I thought that was Ice Brains job!" Now I could read it. If not apparent from his voice, I could identify at least the smallest bit of nervousness. Or maybe he was just dense? Yeah, that makes more sense.

"That's a _GREAT_ idea Mira! To get Natsu back in the game, Lucy has to kiss Natsu!" Lisanna cheered, jumping out from behind the two's small snow fort. I darted my eyes, trying to keep them anywhere else but on his, because I knew the moment I did I would blush, and then if I blushed he would notice, butwhydoesitevenmatterifhenotices, it'snotlikeIlikehimoranything, ormaybeIdo, 'causewhyelsewouldsomeoneblushaboutsomethinglikethat. Everyone was still, probably having the same question that I had in my head. _Am I actually going to kiss him?_

I felt my palms grow sweaty, my heart drumming loud and fast in the background and my head lightheaded. _WhatdoIdo? WHATDOIDO!?_ I forced myself a bit closer to Natsu, my face still turned away from him. I pursed my lips, completely focused on a patch of snow. I glanced over at Levy, Mira and Lisanna, who all looked like they were about to explode, hands clenched into fists held up to their chin and their body weight forward. A little voice in my head seemed to be chanting _Do it, Do it, Do it. STUPID CONSCIENCE! Hey, don't call me stupid! Whatever. I'm just saying...it's not like you don't like Natsu... Yeah... So, why not? BECAUSE! Because what? ... SEE! Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhh._ I glanced over at Natsu, although I had told myself not to. He seemed, confused. _Just do it, it's not like it matters._ Oh, but it does. If I were to kiss him now this would be my first kiss. _So?_ Well, I don't know! I just always imagined my first kiss being like something from the movies, and this just kinda feels...forced. _What are you talking about?! Excuses!_ I took in a breath then moved closer to him, hovering over him. _Oh God what were you thinking?! Hey! You talked me into this!_ Once again I struggled to focus on one thing, but his stare pulled my gaze in like a magnet.

"Are you sure about this?" I bit my lip. _You've come to far now._ I gulped, lowering my face towards his. Tension seemed to hang in the air. _Well this is it._

Then, just a second before our lips were about to meet, Natsu jerked his head to the side, forcing my lips onto the cold snow. I quickly cocked my head upward, trying to process what had just happened. The back of my mouth felt dry. I looked over at Levy, who appeared to have an expression of both pity and cringe. My heart felt like it had dropped to the ground and shattered into a million pieces. _But, why?_

I pulled myself up from the ground and mumbled, "I have to go," then rushed back into the house, slamming the front door behind me. I quickly climbed up the stairs into my room, throwing the door behind me, resulting in a large "BANG". I pushed my bodyweight against the door then for the first time within the last few minutes, breathed. _What am I doing? Why am I even here?_ What had possessed me to think that any guy would like me? Why did I even want him to kiss me? This feeling felt all to familiar. _It's all the same. You subconsciously fall for a guy and you get your heart broken. Because that's how the world works._ But this shouldn't hurt. I tried so hard to disregard my feelings but here I am, crying over a guy I never had.

"Lucy," a muffled voice spoke, but not from behind the door. The noise was coming from the window. I shot my eyes over to find a wild Natsu, peering in through the glass, "Let me in." I debated the idea for a second, then realizing that Natsu was at the top floor of the house (somehow). _Don't question him, it's Natsu._ I reluctantly pulled the window up, allowing Natsu to slide inside.

"Thanks, now what happened?" _Stop it._

"I-I don't know..." I answered lamely. _Stop that._

"Why are you crying," he pushed again. _Stop caring._

"I told you I don't know," I raised my voice a bit at the end. It was the truth. Wasn't it?

"Did you want me to kiss you?" I blushed a bit at how direct he was, searching his face for something similar but there was nothing. I tossed my head down and did the only thing I could think of. I pushed him into the wall and attempted to run. Like I always did. But then I felt a warm hand grab mine just as I was about to leave. _Stop it, dammit!_ I tried to pull my hand away but his grasp was strong.

"Lucy...-"

"STOP IT!" I thought (yelled) aloud. I glanced back at him, confusion written all over his face.

"Stop what?" I used his confusion to my advantage, pulling my arm out from his, giving him little time to react. But I immediately regretted it. It felt so cold. _When did it get so cold? I'm cold...without him? No. No!_

I raced out of the room and out the door, rushing past my ignored friends, running to who knows where. I just needed to get away. From him. But the farther away I was, the colder I felt. _No, this isn't real._ I kept running, tugging on the edges of the jacket I was wearing. His jacket. _Dammit._ Everything looked the same when covered by inches of powdery snow. Everything seemed to be taunting me. Like sun light next to pouring rain I'm forced to stand in. Well screw you sun, screw you snow! My mind was on autopilot, wandering aimlessly.

But then I realized where I was running. I was confronted by a white, worn out bridge.

Memories.

Of all the days I stood by the edge claiming that tomorrow would be the day I would do it. And out of all those times, no one stopped me. People saw and did nothing. I even heard people whisper that I was crazy.

But him.

He never let me do it. The first time he saw me he stopped me. And as if that wasn't enough he made sure I wouldn't do it again. But he didn't tell me not to. It was a silent, stealthy battle he fought. His weapons, kind gestures. His tactic flawless. His victory slow but sure. He did that for me. And if I ended it, he work would be for nothing. His victory turned to loss. And my victory could hardly be called a win.

I would never forgive me. _No. Not this time._ I slowed my pace, walking onto the bridge. _I won't run._ I stared down at the bridge with cold eyes.

"Now you listen here! I'm not afraid of you! I won't jump! Never!" I folded my arms over my shoulder, turning sideways a bit, somehow half excepting it to respond.

After realizing that this bridge wasn't going to talk, I cleared some of the snow of the wooden planks and sat down, my legs dangling. I stared down on the lake, the once clear flowing water now frozen over, topped with a thin white sheet of snow. A noise seemed to wander in my head without any permission.

Then I noticed, it was footsteps. _No. No more running._ The footsteps slowed then stopped right next to me. He cleared out the snow as I had done, then sat next to me, legs dangling beside mine. His abnormal warmth calmed me. I never realized him much I had missed it since - well - just now. A cold breeze swept some of the rebellious leaves that didn't seem to notice that it was already winter. The cold forced me to tug harder on the edges his jacket, but it was to no avail. As a last ditch effort, I scooted closer to him, resting my head on his shoulder. In response he placed his arm on my waist . We sat there for a while, but I didn't mind. I could sit like that for hours.

"What was that thing you wanted me to stop doing?" his warm voice broke the almost everlasting silence.

I shrugged, "It doesn't matter anymore." He nodded, staring straight ahead at something. "I love you," I muttered.

"Huh?" he asked.

"Nothing, we should go home now," I quickly responded. He nodded, pulling himself up from the ground. He held his hand out for me. I gladly took it.

 **(A/N: Heyyyyy, I'm not dead, I promise! I was actually working on this the entire time bcz this was a long chapter and a hard one to write. I SWEAR! Oh yeah, the chapter...we have a confession...? I'm so evil... Also this is in no way shape or form the end of the Fanfiction, more like the climax I guess, but I'm either going to end on a confession from both sides, a kiss or** **marriage, so yeah. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter, BOIIII!)**


	19. Sick

**(A/N: HEY GUYS! Sorry I've been MIA recently, life has been getting in the way and writer's block isn't really helping. BUT to make up for me not giving you chapter's recently I've decided to make this chapter extra long**. **Also, I was reading my old chapters and noticed how terrible my writing was back then. WHY ARE SO MANY PEOPLE READING THIS? Anyway here we go!)**

 **PLEASE READ: At the beginning of the story I said that Lucy was in her sophomore year but for the sake of this story, and me not really having a plan for it, I have decided to change that to senior year. IT WILL MAKE SENSE SOON I PROMISE! This note is only for the people who have been reading this since the story came out)**

 **Summary of previous chapter** _ **(cuz reasons):**_ _Lucy, Natsu and co were having a snowball fight in the cold. Natsu got hit by a snowball and because of Lucy's NaLu shipping friends, the only way that Natsu could get back in the game was if Lucy kissed him. However, Lucy instead ended up kissing a pile of snow. In the midst of her anger she raced up to her room where Natsu followed her. Lucy again ran away, this time too a bridge at which she had tried to commit suicide when Natsu stopped her. She sat at the edge of the river, refusing to think about killing herself again when Natsu showed up and Lucy realized how much she loved him. The two decided to go back home after the long day)_ **DISCLAIMER: A great portion of this chapter is somwhat filler with some mixed in fluff. If you would like actual plot, you can probably skip a portion of this chapter, except for a great amount of the end** I pulled the sheets over myself, turning over to one side of the bed, preparing to sleep, when. Achoo! I covered my nose with my hand, closing my eyes again until...Achoo!

"Luce are you OK?" a voice spoke from behind me. I jerked my head towards the doorway, finding the much adored Natsu. Wait, what, who wrote that?

"I'm fine," I forced out in my new found nasally tone.

"Yeah sure. And I'm a unicorn," he deadpanned.

"Seriously Natsu. It's just a little cold. I'll be fine." I assured, pulling the covers up to my nose, preventing any further sneezes.

Natsu sighed, "At least let me check your temperature?"

"Yeah whatever," I responded. To be honest I didn't even care what he was saying, I just wanted to sleep. _Yeah, sure._ SHUT UP, ME! He walked towards the bed, placing the front of his hand on my forehead.

"You're burning up," he commented. "I think you might have a fever."

"Ugh..." I groaned. _I think it might be you._

"That's what you get for not wearing your jacket," he said about to walk out of the room.

"DON'T YOU DARE ABANDON ME!" I yelled, waving my hands in the air dramatically.

"Wouldn't dream of it, I was going to get the phone so we could go to the doctor," he explained without even batting an eye in my direction. _HOW DO YOU SAY THINGS LIKE THAT CASUALLY! LIFE'S NOT FAAIR!_ I pulled the covers back up to my nose, but this time in an attempt to hide the redness of my face. I relaxed once more, silently listening to Natsu on the phone. Though his words were indecipherable, his quiet murmuring calmed me. I closed my eyes slowly, the sound of Natsu's voice barely audible from the other room.

"Lucy, get up, we're going to the doctor's office"

"NOW?!" I whined, throwing the cover over my face, only to have it pulled away from me, now shivering in the tundra that had existed outside my fuzzy blanket. _I just wanted to sleeep._

"Yes, _now,"_ his tone stern.

"You sound like my mom," I complained, eyes still closed.

" _Someone_ has to be the parental figure."

"Never guessed it would be you," I teased, finally pulling myself up from the bed. I quickly pulled my arms around myself in a sortof self hug used to fight off the cold. I ran over to my closet, searching for my winter coat.

"Are you looking for something?" his voice was deep enough and sudden enough to startle me. I spun around to a smirking Natsu had been holding the misplaced coat. I snatched it from him, walking towards the door, trying to conceal the dusty pink blush that had formed on my cheeks. I walked out of the room towards the front door while simultaneously drawing my jacket on. _Why do jackets have to be so hard to put on?_ I allowed myself through the front door, Natsu rushing behind me. Once down the first porch steps, something occurred to me.

"Natsu! How are we gonna get to the doctor's office?!" I questioned.

Natsu just stared at me as if the answer was obvious, "The bus."

"But, your motion sickness!"

He shrugged, "I'll be fine, we have to get there _somehow_ and I doubt it would be any help to your cold to walk in the freezing cold." I glanced at him, his look and tone so sincere. And while walking to the dance he vomited at the mention of a mode of transportation.

I tossed my head down, elbowing him in the side, "Idiot."

"Ughhhhhhh," Natsu groaned, hunched over in his bus seat, looking like he was about to vomit.

"I told you this was a bad idea," I scolded, awkwardly rubbing his back from the seat beside me.

He shook his head, tossing his head into his hands, "I'm fine."

"And here I thought I was the sick one," I mumbled to myself.

"Hey! I'm nauseous not deaf!" Natsu forced out before hurling into the plastic bag that was provided on the bus. I moved away from him a bit, slightly disgusted. Finally, ending the horror that Natsu had gone through, the bus came to a screeching halt. Natsu, somehow suddenly forgetting the previous few moments where he was just puking his guts out, jumped out of his seat, pumping his fist in the air, then unceremoniously racing out of the bus.

"WAIT FOR - whatever," I sighed. After pushing and shoving my way to the front of the bus, I was finally able to exit the train. I glanced around for Natsu till I noticed a patch of pink hair sticking out the crowd. I followed the pink hair to a small white building with a sign that read "Dr. Porlyusica's Clinic" and watched as he went inside. I followed suit, pushing the door open and going inside.

Finally finding Natsu among the few sniffling and coughing patients that had also fallen victim to the plentiful amount of sickness going around, sitting down in a chair with a clipboard with a piece of paper on it. I walked over to him, taking a seat beside him and lazily staring down as he monotonously scribbled down information and occasionally asked me for answers. Finding no entertainment within his handwriting that somehow far better than most boys, I felt my eyes slowly droop downward. I searched for a comfortable pillow to rest on, finally settling for the next best thing, Natsu's shoulder. His muscles tensed slightly before allowing me to rest, finding comfort within his abnormally warm body temperature.

This comfort, however, was very short lived, for after a while a sweet, high pitched voice, sounding as if it belong to a child, spoke only loud enough for me to hear, "Lucy?" I looked to the holder of this innocent voice, finding a small girl, maybe 5 years younger than me, with dark blue pigtails in the doorway holding a folder, a name tag placed on her dress, reading, 'Wendy'. I picked myself up (unwillingly) from Natsu's shoulder, following 'Wendy' into one of the rooms with Natsu trailing behind. Upon entry I found at least seven things my mind was telling me I had to play with, but social rules prohibited me, forcing me onto the bed while Natsu sat on one of the chairs beside the bed.

"So, Lucy, what brings you here today?" Wendy asked, pulling out a pen, preparing to write down something.

"Well I'm sick."

"Yes, we know. Natsu called earlier saying as much. What I meant was how did you get sick?"

"Well, I think it might have been that I went outside yesterday in the snow with a hoodie," I murmured, all of a sudden humiliated by my stupid mistake.

"Ok," she mumbled, pulling out a thermometer and sticking it in my ear, "101.5."

She scribbled something down, then said, "The doctor will be with you shortly," before exiting the room leaving an awkward silence in her wake. After a few minutes of twiddling my thumbs and blaming my brain for choosing the best of times to refuse to work, a woman, who was much older than Wendy, with pink hair, much lighter than Natsu's hair, that was tied into a bun entered the room.

I thought I heard her say something along the lines of "Ugh another one," but she quickly recovered plastering a smile onto her face. "So, Lucy, what brings you here today?" the doctor asked, mimicking almost every other doctor in existence.

"I have a fever and a stuffy nose," I explained as she stuck a weird doctor gadget in my ear, then in my other ear, then shined the light in my mouth while just going, "Hmmm." She then pulled her stethoscope on and placed the cold metal part on my back, asking me to breath in and out. I did as I was told and after doing this five times and other various commands she finally came to the conclusion,

"You just have the common cold, nothing major. I'd say rest tomorrow and if you don't have a fever on Tuesday then go back to school." I nodded, sliding off the bed and leaving the building. _Well that was a waste of time._

Natsu and I both walked outside into the bitter cold, finding the doctor's appointment completely useless when the bus pulled in. I glanced at Natsu who was already leaning forward looking dead already.

"Hey, Natsu, let's walk home," I offered, shoving my hands into the pockets of my jacket.

"I can't let you walk home when you're sick." he declared

I rolled my eyes, "I'd rather walk a few miles than sit next to a puking Natsu for five minutes."

Natsu sighed, "Alright, fine. We'll walk." I nodded in agreement and began walking. I turned around to make sure Natsu was following when I heard him call out. "Hey Luce! Home is that way," he said, pointing in the opposite direction in which I was walking.

"I knew that," I assured, walking in the direction he pointed in.

"Hey, Luce, are you sure you're OK?" Natsu asked,

"Yeah of course," I assured him. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You're tripping a lot," he commented and as though dictated by fate, I caught myself once again from falling flat on my face.

"I'm fine," I said, continuing to walked through the sharp cold.

"Here," he offered before placing on of his hands on my leg and the other on my back and lifting me up. **(A/N: Bridal style)**. My face flushed as he continued walking as if it was nothing.

"N-Natsu are you sure about th-"

"It's fine."

Soon enough we reached the house, and I had pretended to fall asleep. Well, not really _pretending_ , I was attempting to fall asleep but that wasn't working at all. _Probably because of how fast your heart was beating._ OH SHUT IT ME! Natsu placed me on the bed and finally I had gotten what I had wanted this entire time. _THANK YOU WORLD FOR THIS AMAZING GIFT OF HEAVEN KNOWN AS SLEEP!_ As soon as I had found refuge from the icy tundra known as _the outside world_ I fell quickly to sleep.

The bright sunlight that shone in from windows, awaking me from from my once again dreamless sleep. _Yeah...SURE._ WOULD YOU STOP! I was about to get up from bed when I noticed something preventing me from doing so. I looked over to my right and noticed tuft of salmon colored hair under the sheets beside me. _WHY IS HE HERE?_ I looked over to the alarm clock placed next to my bed and read of the time. _11:38_. _HE'S GONNA BE LATE!_ I quickly sat up and began shaking Natsu back and forth yelling,

"NATSU YOU'RE LATE FOR SCHOOL!"

"Hmm?" he groaned.

"NATSU, QUICK WAKE UP!" A few seconds later he sat up, rubbing his head.

"Lucy, what are you yelling about..." He eyelids opened slightly. My cheeks tinted with a light pink. _Curse your adorable bed head!_

"You're late for school! You've already missed first and second period!" I exclaimed, flailing my arms around in an attempt to convey my worry.

"I wasn't gonna go, someone has to take care of you," he explained, his tone still lazy. I felt my face redden a bit, quickly turning away to conceal it.

"Yeah, yeah, I forgot you were my mom," I crossed my arms. **(A/N: TSUN MODE ACTIVATE!)** "And why are you sleeping _here_? What if you get sick? You won't be much help if you're sick," I commented. _How the hell did I say that with a straight face?!_

He stared at me with a somewhat annoyed expression, "I don't get sick."

"You seemed pretty sick yesterday on the bus," I teased, a playful smirk tugging at the ends of my lips.

"HOW DARE YOU BRING UP MODES OF TRANSPORTATION! You're so cruel!" his skin turned a faint shade of green as his cheeks puffed up.

"I'M SORRY! PLEASE DON'T HURL!" I yelled as I frantically and awkwardly tried to console him. "AND IF YOU ARE, PLEASE DON'T HURL ON ME!" He looked at me with a mischievous look behind his eyes as he pretended to vomit in my direction. " _Natsu!"_

"I can't control where I throw up," he stated smugly.

"I hate you," I sighed.

"Awww, I love you too," he replied. My face started to burn up. They say when something like this happens your heart does flips. Well if that's the case then my heart was doing a gymnastic routine, complete with backflips, frontflips, somersaults and handstands.

"S-shut up, " I forced out, failing to remain calm and collected. But then again who could remain collected when their heart was literally having a sugar rush, but instead of sugar it was feelings. A feeling rush. "I'm going to sleep," I said a bit to loudly, trying my best to prevent any further snarky remarks from his side.

"I'm skipping school to watch you sleep?" he rolled his eyes, his voice cleared filled with boredom.

"Rest is the only way I'm going to get better," I explained, already lying down in bed.

"If you're just gonna sleep I might aswell have gone to school! I'm risking Erza yelling at me!" he cringed a bit while saying that.

"You chose to stay here," I sighed, pulling up the covers.

"FINE! THEN I'M SLEEPING WITH YOU!" My heart quickly fought its way out of my chest onto the floor, ran a marathon before warping its way back into its place. I glanced at him beside me, expect some sort of devilish grin splayed across his lips but he was still pouting, clearly frustrated. _This idiot probably doesn't even know what he's saying._

I tried my best to avoid making eye contact or even noticing the sleeping pinkette beside me, but as I tried harder and harder to sleep, the more I kept thinking, thus preventing me from sleeping. Eventually I simply started staring at the ceiling, letting Natsu occasional snores fill the empty silence of the bright yet dark room.

Within what I can only assume had been hours, I had finally built up the courage to turn to my right and look at Natsu. I noted his adorably messy bed head and his closed eyes which were only a bit open, revealing a sliver of the actual eye. Yet although everything about his screamed 'asleep' something about his was still bright and awake. Even when he slept he seemed to have a happy aura about him. But then, I noticed something that I hadn't noticed in all the time that I had known Natsu. There was this remnant of what I could only assume to be emptiness is his playful snores and beaming feel. The part of him that was once occupied by Natsu was now occupied by... not Natsu.

Then, I something happened. Natsu's eyes tightened shut and he gripped the pillow case his hands had been resting on previously tightly, small folds forming on the white sheet. _Huh?_ Then he began turning left and right, shuffling his position as if it was an attempt to numb some sort of pain. I looked back at his eyes and notice a sphere like glassy substance building up in the corners.

Tears.

He was crying.

Immediately I recognized why. _He_ was having a nightmare. The feeling that he was sending off was all to familiar to the one I experienced every single time the memory of my mother haunted me in my dreams. I had never seen how it felt from an outsider's view.

"No, no, no, no," faint whispers took the place of the void snoring, his voice weak and unstable. Like balancing a pencil on your finger.

In panic, I did the only thing I could think to do.

"Natsu, Natsu, wake up," I whispered while lightly shaking him back and forth.

"No, no, no, no!" his whispers became more violent and frantic. Hopeless and suicidal. It reminded me of me.

"Natsu! Wake up!" I yelled louder, now with tears forming, stinging my eyes and fogging up my already darkened vision.

"IGNEEL!" he shrieked, his terror mortifying me. A shook him furiously, hoping that somehow I could stop his pain and suffering. But I understood everything. There was no doubt that this Igneel was a family member. A long gone family member.

"NATSU! GET THE HELL UP!" I yelled, competing with his yelling in a yelling battle which appeared to have no winners. Only sore throats and sadness.

Finally, Natsu's eyes jerked open as he flung forward, finally sitting upright and awake. I took in a breath, thankful that he was awake, but breaths afterward were fast and short. Part of me wondered why. Natsu's head turned towards me and his eyes widened as he quickly put his hand on my back, trying to console me for reasons that I didn't understand until I realized how I was crying. And how bad I was crying.

"Lucy, what happened?" he asked, concerned, but I couldn't care less about me crying. So I quickly shoved my inexplicable sorrow into by back pocket and wiped away my confusing tears.

"I'm fine, seriously, I just got startled. Honestly, I should be asking you that question," I looked up, my eyes still tained a light pink.

He seemed shocked and sad. That felt so odd and eerie for someone who seemed to never experience sadness in their entire life.

"Nothi-" I cut him off right before he could start feeding me bullshit.

"Someone died, right?"

For a moment Natsu was surprised, but that look quickly faded away into one of sadness as he nodded.

"Is it this Igneel guy I heard you talking about?" I asked.

His face lighted up, but in a strange way. It didn't brighten, it only seemed to go from black to gray back to black. "How did you-?"

"You were talking about it in your sleep. He was a family member?" I asked. I don't know why I pushed it this far. I know that if I had a nightmare about my mother, I would never be able to talk about it so openly for a while. Yet for some reason I disregarded this for my own selfish curiosities.

"He was my dad," Natsu voice once again faltered as his eyes once again became misty and clouded by glazed tears. Quickly, I noticed what I was doing to him, talking about the death of a long lost family member.

"I'm sorry! I should just-"

"No, it's OK. It's just that today is the day that he-," he choked on the word, unable to force it out. He continued to stutter out the first sound, but quickly I cut him off using the power of hugs. Immediately while embracing him I noticed how strangely cold he felt.

It was terrifying. How could Natsu be cold? _Natsu?!_ Dug my face deep into his chest, somehow trying to fight these unreasonable tears. _Why the hell am I crying?_ I could feel my salty tears staining his shirt a darker shade than it was previously, but I kept hugging him.

"I-I get it," I stuttered out. At that moment I knew exactly how he felt. The way his muscles relaxed and his body gradually warmed soothed me, reminded me of something. That feeling that was resonating off of him.

It's the same feeling I felt when Natsu came into my life.

I can't describe the feeling exactly, but it felt like he was OK. We were OK. Though these ghosts would never die, we could fight them off together.

I discarded my thoughts for a moment, my train of thought finally entering the real world. For a moment, there was just silence, me hugging him and him returning the hug. I realized then, how much I wanted to be with him.

I also noticed the weight of loosing him. I wanted everything to stay like this, but what about college, or living our lives in the real world. My mom had always wanted me to gain all the knowledge this world had to offer, so I planned on going to college using a student loan and some saved up money. But what about Natsu, and his education. Did he have enough money to even go? Natsu had been playing on the baseball team so I could assume he would want to pursue that. _But I have always wanted to be a journalist. Would we have to leave each other? Would he even visit me in college? Would I be justified to visit him?_

Thoughts ricocheted to other thoughts and soon enough I was trapped in this deadly cage of thoughts with no way out. _I mean, only couples visit each other in college._ The image of Natsu visiting some other girl entered my mind. The idea chipped away at me bit by bit the more I thought about it. I thought for a second before coming to my conclusion.

The only way I could stop any of this from happening, was to confess to him before the end of senior year.

 **(I ACTUALLY WROTE IN SOME DECENT PLOT! YaY! So FYI, I do have an idea for the next few chapters (I kinda stole the idea from Toradora! [If you haven't watched the anime, you NEED to watch the anime!] So yeah, I hope you guys enjoyed this and I promise I will update soon!)**


	20. Crushes and Class Trips

**(A/N: NEW CHAPTER! (Again, kinda stole the idea from Toradora but whateverrrrrrrrr) I hope you guys like it. Also I wanted to thank everyone who reviewed my story cuz it makes me happy! ALSO WE REACHED 20 CHAPTERS! HOW?)**

 **THANK YOU: Dihan x3, rintindaf, firebirth86, MayraLilacBunny x5, dogrcool5, animebooknerd, NatsutoDragneel and Guest San!**

"CLASS TRIP"

The two words that seemed to be as prominent as ever today. Spring had finally broken the patterns of frost and snow, flowers sprouting from the patches of grass that stuck out from the melted white blanket that once coated the ground. And although it seemed too early for a class trip, hardly any of the students minded the chance to leave their cages.

The homerooms had gathered together into several groups, each one given a letter, corresponding with the letter on the room number.

My group?

Group B.

Nothing too special, right?

WRONG!

A numerous amount of my friends seemed to be piled into this one group. Levy, Mira, Lisanna, Gray, Juvia, Erza, Gajeel, but most notably out of all of them Natsu. Being able to recognize a few faces was all I wished for, but the genie who heard must have been feeling extra generous and gave me these dorks. I even noticed who I assumed to be Jellal hanging around Erza, and Laxus with a green haired boy clinging to his arm. Part of me felt terrible for Mira, but at the same time the two looked adorable.

Though when I noticed Mira glance in their direction, she was barely shaken, in fact, she her eyes seemed to indicated she was happy with this change of pace. Knowing Mira, this could only mean another one of her ships. Lisanna was also conversing with Mira. Juvia was still racing after Gray, and although Gray seemed terrified, I could tell that he didn't mind this attention. Then again, the shrieks coming from Gray said otherwise. Gajeel and Levy appeared to be getting along, though Gajeel was using Levy's head as an armrest and Levy's expression seemed to further warrant Gajeel's teasing. It amazed me that the two weren't a couple.

Then there was me, amidst the initial excitement of everyone being here, my heart was still racing at the fact that Natsu was going to be on this trip.

Oh yeah, the trip. Each of the 5 groups were each going on a different and excitable trip decided at random by the principal and vice principal that was performed a few months back. Group B had decided on going to - wait for it - a ski resort. Though I was already completely over the snow, the destination hardly mattered.

We could be going to a jail for all I cared, this trip was still going to be 3 whole days of freedom.

"Kids! Please calm down!" someone tried to shout, but his voice was drowned out by the chatter of the 50 or more students.

"Kids! Please be quiet!" The voice tried again, failing once more at the daunting task of gaining the attention of angst filled teenagers.

"STUDENTS! SHUT UP!" The voice yelled out, disrupting the conversations between students. Each student's head cocking towards the direction of the voice. A rather short looking teacher was now at the center of attention.

"My name is Makarov, and I will be acting as your designated teacher," he explained, his voice now warm yet sharp, reminiscent of Natsu's voice. Throughout this entire ordeal, Natsu had been standing with me, filling the silence idle conversation.

"As you all know we will be heading to the ski resort for our trip," a few kids groaned, though I swear I could hear a single "Yay" from across the crowd.

Makarov ignored the students clear boredom, continuing on, "Before we get onto the buses, I need to get you all into groups."

The students cheered, sending each other looks which seemed to say "You're in my group". I myself part took in deciding my group members with glances, staring at Levy with a smile. However I almost didn't notice an unmistakable warmth find its way to my hand. I didn't need to look down to know that Natsu had just grabbed my hand. My face warmed and, on impulse, I squeezed his hand, recognizing this hand holding as Natsu's way of adding me to his group.

Above all the cheering Makarov yelled, "Chosen by me."

Groans filled the room as I squeezed Natsu's hand tight, refusing to let him go. To my surprise he tightened his hand around mine as well. _He's been acting strange recently._ _He's been quieter ever since..._ It bothered me to see him so...how do I put this... Un-Natsu. I mean, he was normal at school, but at home I noticed how little by little he just seemed to draw himself out of reality. Makarov somehow was able to line all of the students up. He started counting off each student, numbers counting off from 1 to 10. _There's no way we'll be in the same group._ Yet for some odd reason, instead of resorting to rationality, I didn't move. Slowly, Makarov began approaching us, closing in on the last few students. When he reached us, the word "six" which was supposed to be directed at me got caught in his mouth, his eyes directed to our two hands intertwined.

He smiled, gesturing to both of us, declaring we were part of group 6, but not before muttering something about young love. My face quickly turned beet red, but the internal pandemonium going on inside of my head was paused by Natsu,

"Hey Luce, looks like we're in the same group," he smiled his lopsided toothy grin which I swear at this point should have been copyrighted.

I quickly smiled back, going along with his attempt to discard what had just happened.

"So...ski resort...not one of the school's best ideas," I said, trying my best to fight through the awkwardness and anxiety I was going through. CURSE YOU SMALL TALK!

"I wish we could've gone to that beach resort Group C is going on..." Natsu frowned, "I've had enough of the snow," he pouted.

I giggled at his stupidly adorable self, doing his stupidly adorable things.

"That reminds me, did you pack your winter coat," he asked, "I am not having you get sick again, and I am _definitely_ not going on _another_ b-" he choked up on the word bus _,_ is usually slightly tanned skin tone turning a pale green.

"I remembered!" I said gesturing towards my suitcase.

"Aaand Lucy brought a suitcase on a 3 day trip," Natsu sighed, tugging on the ends of his drawstring bag.

"Look! Ok, I can never decide what to wear, so I just packed _a few_ outfits," I attempted to explain to him.

"Since when did you start caring about the way you look," he asked, my cheeks brightened, for I already knew what the answer was.

"Since I started realizing how dumb I look when I don't," I forced out half heartedly. Sure it was true, but there was a bit more to the story.

"You don't look dumb," he said nonchalantly, and yet something on his face made it seem like he instantly regretted it. And I swear I heard his say something along the lines of "You look pretty," but then again it could've been my imagination.

A voice sliced through my stupid thoughts, "OK NOW GET INTO YOUR GROUPS!" Makarov yelled, pointing to different locations in which the groups should gather, group six being closer to the buses.

The people in group six were me, Natsu, Gray, Erza and the young girl who helped us out at the doctor's office. Her name was...Wendy? I had no idea she went to our school, much less that she was in high school.

Small World.

"I have to be in the same group as the pyro-freak _?!"_ Gray exclaimed.

"Sorry Luce, but I think I should transfer to one of the other groups, anywhere there is less Ice Prick around," Natsu was about to walk off when Erza grabbed the back of his hoodie, pulling his back.

"You aren't going anywhere! You guys need to stop fighting, and I think that this trip is the perfect opportunity to help you to get along! So you are staying right here!" The redhead declared.

Natsu crossed his arm in annoyance while Gray simply rolled his eyes.

"Whatever," Gray forced out.

Immediately after, Natsu smirked evilly and I could already tell that an evil plot of his was brewing.

"Gray, don't be like that! C'mon, give me a hug!"Natsu said all too playfully as he started to near Gray with open arms.

"AAHH! GET AWAY FROM ME!" Gray shrieked, running in the other direction.

"YOU CAN'T ESCAPE THE HUGS OF THE PYRO FREAK!" He yelled back as they ran laps around the buses. I rolled my eyes, as the two ogled at each other.

"Erza, you're not doing anything to stop this?" I asked.

"You think I'm going to stop this?! The sexual tension could be cut with a knife!" she said with a camera held up to her face, pointed at the boys. I giggled as Natsu returned with Gray smooshed between his arms.

"LET GO OF ME YOU ASSHOLE!" Gray yelled out, sending eyes in our direction, but I doubted anyone cared.

"Fine," Natsu said as he begrudgingly released Gray from his grasp.

"Looks like I'm going to have to spend my time keeping you guys in line," Makarov said as he neared the group.

"Sir, I promise it won't happen again," Erza said bowing, but something about her showed no remorse in not stepping in.

"Right, I'm sure..." Makarov forced out sarcastically, "Anyway, you guys will be riding on Bus 6 with Group 5. You ladies can put you suitcases in the compartments on the lower half of the bus and then get inside." We all nodded, making are way on the bus. I in particular had a big dopey grin because the other half of my friend group was bunched into Group 5.

Natsu's face puffed up, turning a light green shade as he hung over the open window ready to ruin any unsuspecting bystanders outfit.

"Natsu, the bus hasn't even started!" I cried, unprepared to sit next to a ticking vomit bomb, ready to explode.

"I don't get made at you for hogging the bathroom, deal with it," He said, his voice like water that was being swirled around.

"Natsu, would you like some ginger?" A cute, light voice asked. My head darted to the direction of the voice while Natsu's head just lazily nodded in its direction. Wendy was housed in the chair in front of us, digging through her back. "Ginger usually helps with motion sickness," Wendy continued as she shuffled through her belongs until finally striking gold. Ginger gold. Natsu's head perked up as he nodded, nearly stealing the bag with ginger supplements from Wendy's hand and scarfing it all down.

"Why did you have ginger on you," I asked.

"Oh, I sometimes get a bit sick myself, but it's never as severe as what Natsu's experiencing," Wendy explained. Already, Natsu had returned to normal, smiling with his signature grin,

"Thanks Wendy!"

"No problem," she replied.

"Now I can finally go to sleep," I said, resting my head on the comfortable seat. _The school really does go all out on these trips. They even get coach buses._ Just as I was about to doze off, Natsu said far too loudly,

"Lucy, there is no way you're sleeping on this bus ride." As he said that he started shouting at the top of his lungs, "99 BOTTLES OF BEER OF THE WALL! 99 BOTTLES OF BEER! TAKE ONE DOWN, PASS IT AROUND, 98 BOTTLES OF BEER ON THE WALL!" As he started singing, I hear a majority of the bus join in to the out of tune screeching that filled the bus. I pulled my hands over my ears, but it was no use, for they just started yelling louder. Not to mention, the facilitator of the orchestra of shrieks was sitting right beside me. _I just have to wait until they get tired. They can get tired, right?_

98 bottles of beer later and the shrieks had finally started to die down. I sighed, relieved that I could finally get some sleep, as I tried my best to find a comfortable position to sleep in.

Unfortunately, the bus didn't seem to accommodate to my needs, forcing me into trying countless amounts of awkward positions, before my eyes fixated themselves on something. My last hope. I looked to my right to see Natsu's shoulder, practically begging someone to lie on it.

Without a second thought, my sleep deprived self rested its head on his shoulder, my eyes drooping downward. His unusual heat compensated for my lack of a blanket and his warm scent intoxicated me even more. I shifted my weight towards him, quickly becoming more comfortable by the second. I peeked on of my eyes open to see a red tint forming under Natsu's nose. _Adorable idiot._


	21. Don't Cry

"OK, so guys, what are we going to do about room assignments?" Erza asked.

We finally made it to the hotel and now we had the 'pleasure' of dealing with room assignments. We had received two rooms one with a king sized bed and the other with a queen sized bed and a pull out couch. I tapped my fingers on the handle of my suitcase, standing idly by while this happened. I knew what I _wanted_ to happen, but if I said anything ic would just die then and there. It wouldn't even be my doing. The crush Gods would just be made at me and kill me on the spot.

"We could always divided into boys and girls," Gray suggested. Wendy nodded in agreement. _No, no, no, no, NO!_

"Seems, like the best idea." Everyone conversed about the rooms, while I locked on of my feet behind the other. _What do I do?_

Suddenly, I felt an arm wrap around my neck, latching onto my shoulder. I looked over to where the hand was coming from, noticing Natsu with a look of death in his eyes. I swear I saw them go red.

"Mine," his voice was demonically deep, so much so that even Erza shivered. ERZA! I walked over to Erza, snatched the key card for the room with the king sized bed and the proceeded to drag me inside along with my luggage

"WAIT, NATSU! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" I yelled flailing my arms around, but his grip felt as strong as ever. "SOMEONE HELP ME! HE'S CRAZY!" I yelled reaching my hand towards my friends, but they just smirked as I was carried away my Natsu. _So much for friendship._

Once we got into the room, Natsu tossed me on the bed. I could feel my face burning but-somehow- I disregarded that, trying to make eye contact with Natsu.

Something about him had been off. Not like his usual fun loving self.

Natsu's head was turn to the ground a red tint forming under his nose.

"Natsu?" I asked.

"Yeah," he responded, his voice airy and his head still facing the ground.

"Natsu, look at me," I urged. He refused silently, fixated on the carpet.

"Natsu-"

"That never happened, OK?" He said, firmly.

I nodded hesitantly.

"Good, now let's get ready for dinner!" He said, smiling goofily. But, something about his smile felt missing. Something about his smile felt lost.

"I'm stuffed," Natsu said, patting his stomach with a smile on his face.

"You literally ate everything. When all the food was finished I thought you were going to start eating the table," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Lucy! Don't you know that you should always eat the silverware before deciding to eat the table," Natsu said, half with sarcasm and half serious.

"How could I have been so stupid?" I said over dramatically.

We had been walking around the halls for hours trying to find our room, but the hotel had turned into a maze with no exit.

"I'm telling you, Lucy, our room doesn't exist anymore! It disappeared!"

"In case you haven't noticed, Natsu, rooms can't disappear," I said, giggling.

Finally after almost an hour of searching for our room, we finally found it. By now it seemed like heaven on earth. I could've sworn I saw it glowing

"So I guess it didn't disappear," Natsu said, smiling.

I simply smiled back, pulling the door knob.

And now I was confronted with my next monster, our bed. It was a king sized bed, so it wouldn't be too awkward, but that didn't change a thing. _We've slept together before, everything's fine._ My heartbeat started to quicken, pounding to the rhythm of our neighbors loud...love.

I turned to Natsu, who seemed to be as flustered as I was. It made him look 20 times more adorable than usual, making this whole situation a million times worse.

"I can sleep on the floor if you'd like," Natsu offered, placing his hand on his neck.

"N-no, it's fine," I stuttered. That seemed to relax Natsu a bit.

"It doesn't seem fine."

"No! I insist!" I shouted, my face probably as red as a tomato.

"Are you sure?" Natsu asked. I nodded, running to my suitcase, pulling out my clothes and slamming the bathroom door shut.

 _Oh God._

I made my way outside after taking a quick shower, wearing fluffy pants and a plain shirt, my hair drenched. I peeked my head over the wall blocking the sink, noticing Natsu laying on the bed, twiddling with his phone. He quickly jerked his head toward me, almost as if he had been waiting for me.

"Hey," He said, grinning from ear to ear. I waved, moving to the bed, before bouncing onto the area of mattress next to him.

"Are you _sure,_ you don't want me to sleep on the floor?" he offered. I nodded, flopping onto the bed. I quickly came to realize how bouncy the bed was, and soon I started smirking. I sat up again and began to stand on the bed. "What are you doing?" Natsu asked.

"Haven't you ever wanted to jump on the bed?" I asked, moving from side to side.

"Of course, I'm just terrified you're going to break the bed."

"Hey!" I shouted, crossing my arms and pouting, "Somebody has to do it."

"And who better than you to get the school in trouble. If we end up having to pay for something it's not coming out of my wallet!"

"I doubt that," I said, finally starting to jump up and down, feeling...free. Like I could fly. I kept reaching up for the sky, but was constantly being blocked by the ceiling. "You're seriously missing out," I said, urging him to jump on the bed using the power of peer pressure.

"If you're gonna break it, I might as well help," He sighed. _Mission Accomplished!_ I pulled himself onto the bed and started jumping with me, out feet hitting the soft comforters at the same time. I quickly found myself having way too much fun. The room was filled with the soft sound giggles. All that was missing was a summer song and you'd have a perfect moment.

The kind that every girl dreams of.

But, my fun time was over when I accidently landed on my ankle instead of my foot, causing me to fall onto the bed.

"Lucy!" Natsu yelled while trying to grab my hand. However, that caused him to fall as well. My eyes were shut, but surprisingly, I felt nothing more than the sheets hitting my head. I opened them to find Natsu on top of my. We looked at each other for a second, both trying to process what had just happened. Then, we quickly turned our heads away, both blushing. Something about this seemed so unlike him. I would imagine Natsu to be the type of person who would make a joke while mischievously smiling.

"Sorry," he mumbled, pushing himself off of me. I nodded, pulling myself up. Silence consumed the room, as it were clashing cymbals in my head.

"Hey, wanna play a game," I offered, trying my best to break the awkwardness.

"Sure," he responded.

"How about truth or dare?" I suggested.

"Ok, you first. Truth or dare," he said.

"Ummm, truth!"

"Ok, let me think of a good one..." He paused, staring at the ceiling searching amongst the cement for an amazing question. "What's your darkest secret?"

I laughed, "Kinda a stupid question, you already know the answer. I was su-" I choked up on the word, unable to get it out. I kept trying force the word out, but eventually I just gave up, terrified.

"Lucy, are you OK?" Natsu asked.

"You only get one question, it's my turn" I said, faking a smile.

"Luc-" I cut him off.

"My turn! My question is..., drumroll please,...how are you doing today?"

Natsu looked at me with pure confusion, "And you called my question stupid, I'm doing fine."

"You're not allowed to lie in truth or dare!"

"But I'm not-"

"Natsu, I'm not stupid. I know something's been up with you recently. You don't seem like your usual self lately," I explained.

"It's nothing, I just," he paused for a moment, considering something, "I'm just scared," he said, softly. _Natsu? Scared?_ The only time you saw those two words in the same sentence is if the word 'not' is in between them.

"What are you scared of?" I asked.

"It's just, my dad died, my mom left when I was little and you almost killed yourself," I could hear his voice breaking, like he was going to cry, "I just keep thinking back to that moment and how, if I had come any later, you'd be dead. I should've talked to you sooner, I should've moved here sooner! I could've saved you from ever feeling like that-!"

A loud whack sounded throughout the room. I slapped him.

"Snap out of it, Natsu!" I yelled. He looked at me with a face of pure shock. I cleared my throat, starting softer, "Don't forget that you saved me! You did everything you could. And look! Now I'm happy. I'm OK. You did everything just right." I explained.

"It's just that-," I noticed a tear slip down his face.

"Natsu..."

I lifted his face, smiling with tears filling his eyes, which were dark from him rubbing them consistently. He felt so dead yet he had this sense of resolve. He smiled wider, his teeth glimmering along with his tears.

"Don't worry about me, Lucy, I'll be fine." He was being so strong. It was like he was lying on the floor bleeding, but yet he still stood up to fight. I quickly wrapped my arms around him, suddenly feeling like my eyes were bags of water about to explode. He slowly wrapped his arms around me. _He's trying to care for me when he's hurt._

"Don't cry. If you cry too much, you're going to run out of tears." I felt something wet stain the back of my shirt. _Stop crying, Natsu._

 _(_ **ANNNDDD that's the end of another chapter! Sorry I've been taking so long to update. I've been taking this extremely rigorous geometry course and I have to write a story for college distinction, so my days have been pretty hectic. Still, I hope you liked the chapter! Also thank you sarara1.8 for reviewing my story! Your kind words give me the motivation to continue writing! Well, hope you guys have an awesome day! BAIIII!)**


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